Senator says Russian internet trolls stoked NFL debateWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. senator on Wednesday said Russian internet trolls, seeking to polarize Americans, helped fuel a debate ignited by President Donald Trump over whether NFL players should have the right to kneel during the national anthem.     The assertion, made by Republican James Lankford, comes as congressional investigators probing Moscow’s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election are focusing on how Russian agents used social media to spread divisive political content. “We watched, even this weekend, the Russians and their troll farms, their internet folks, start hashtagging out #TakeAKnee and also hashtagging out #BoycottNFL,” Lankford, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said during a hearing on threats faced by the United States. “They were taking both sides of the argument this weekend ... to try to raise the noise level of America and make a big issue seem like an even bigger issue as they are trying to push divisiveness in this country,” Lankford said.  Lankford did not provide evidence to corroborate his statement. A Lankford aide said U.S. intelligence shared with senators showed that Russian troll operations relied on social media to meddle in U.S. issues going back to last year’s presidential election in an effort to divide Americans.      Such activity has also been occurring in Europe for years, the aide said. A website built by researchers working with the Alliance for Securing Democracy, a bipartisan, transatlantic project to counter Russian disinformation, showed tweets promoting both sides of the football debate from 600 accounts that analysts identified as users who spread Russian propaganda on Twitter. A Senate aide said the website was viewed as credible among congressional investigators. Facebook this month revealed that suspected Russian trolls purchased more than $100,000 worth of divisive ads on its platform during the 2016 election cycle. Twitter is expected to privately brief the Senate panel on Thursday, and the House Intelligence Committee said Wednesday technology companies would testify about Russian interference in an open hearing next month. Trump last week said that football players should be fired for kneeling during the national anthem. The players want to draw attention to what they say is social and racial injustice. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia orchestrated a multi-pronged cyber offensive on the 2016 election to discredit Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and help Trump, a Republican, win.  Russia denies seeking to influence the U.S. election, and Trump has dismissed claims of collusion as fake news. (This version of the story has been refiled to remove extraneous word “layers” in paragraph 11) politicsNews
senator says russian internet trolls stored nfl debatewashington reuters a senator wednesday said russian internet trolls seeking polarized americans helped fuel debate ignited president donald trump whether nfl players right knee national anthem the assertion made republican james landlord comes congressional investigators probing moscow alleged meddling presidential election focusing russian agents used social media spread divisive political content we watched even weekend russian troll farms internet folks start hashtagging takeaknee also hashtagging boycottnfl landlord sits senate intelligence committee said hearing threats faced united states they taking sides argument weekend try raise noise level america make big issue seem like even bigger issue trying push divisiveness country landlord said landlord provide evidence corroborate statement a landlord aide said intelligence shared senators showed russian troll operations relied social media middle issues going back last year presidential election effort divide americans such activity also occurring europe years aide said a website built researchers working alliance securing democracy bipartisan transatlantic project counter russian disinformation showed tweets promoting sides football debate accounts analysts identified users spread russian propaganda twitter a senate aide said website viewed credible among congressional investigators facebook month revealed suspected russian trolls purchased worth divisive ads platform election cycle twitter expected privately brief senate panel thursday house intelligence committee said wednesday technology companies would testify russian interference open hearing next month trump last week said football players fired kneeling national anthem the players want draw attention say social racial injustice intelligence agencies concluded russia orchestrated cyber offensive election discredit democratic candidate hillary clinton help trump republican win russia denies seeking influence election trump dismissed claims collusion fake news this version story refined remove extraneous word layers paragraph politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Senator says Russian internet trolls stoked NFL debateWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. senator on Wednesday said Russian internet trolls, seeking to polarize Americans, helped fuel a debate ignited by President Donald Trump over whether NFL players should have the right to kneel during the national anthem.     The assertion, made by Republican James Lankford, comes as congressional investigators probing Moscow’s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election are focusing on how Russian agents used social media to spread divisive political content. “We watched, even this weekend, the Russians and their troll farms, their internet folks, start hashtagging out #TakeAKnee and also hashtagging out #BoycottNFL,” Lankford, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said during a hearing on threats faced by the United States. “They were taking both sides of the argument this weekend ... to try to raise the noise level of America and make a big issue seem like an even bigger issue as they are trying to push divisiveness in this country,” Lankford said.  Lankford did not provide evidence to corroborate his statement. A Lankford aide said U.S. intelligence shared with senators showed that Russian troll operations relied on social media to meddle in U.S. issues going back to last year’s presidential election in an effort to divide Americans.      Such activity has also been occurring in Europe for years, the aide said. A website built by researchers working with the Alliance for Securing Democracy, a bipartisan, transatlantic project to counter Russian disinformation, showed tweets promoting both sides of the football debate from 600 accounts that analysts identified as users who spread Russian propaganda on Twitter. A Senate aide said the website was viewed as credible among congressional investigators. Facebook this month revealed that suspected Russian trolls purchased more than $100,000 worth of divisive ads on its platform during the 2016 election cycle. Twitter is expected to privately brief the Senate panel on Thursday, and the House Intelligence Committee said Wednesday technology companies would testify about Russian interference in an open hearing next month. Trump last week said that football players should be fired for kneeling during the national anthem. The players want to draw attention to what they say is social and racial injustice. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia orchestrated a multi-pronged cyber offensive on the 2016 election to discredit Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and help Trump, a Republican, win.  Russia denies seeking to influence the U.S. election, and Trump has dismissed claims of collusion as fake news. (This version of the story has been refiled to remove extraneous word “layers” in paragraph 11) politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: senator says russian internet trolls stored nfl debatewashington reuters a senator wednesday said russian internet trolls seeking polarized americans helped fuel debate ignited president donald trump whether nfl players right knee national anthem the assertion made republican james landlord comes congressional investigators probing moscow alleged meddling presidential election focusing russian agents used social media spread divisive political content we watched even weekend russian troll farms internet folks start hashtagging takeaknee also hashtagging boycottnfl landlord sits senate intelligence committee said hearing threats faced united states they taking sides argument weekend try raise noise level america make big issue seem like even bigger issue trying push divisiveness country landlord said landlord provide evidence corroborate statement a landlord aide said intelligence shared senators showed russian troll operations relied social media middle issues going back last year presidential election effort divide americans such activity also occurring europe years aide said a website built researchers working alliance securing democracy bipartisan transatlantic project counter russian disinformation showed tweets promoting sides football debate accounts analysts identified users spread russian propaganda twitter a senate aide said website viewed credible among congressional investigators facebook month revealed suspected russian trolls purchased worth divisive ads platform election cycle twitter expected privately brief senate panel thursday house intelligence committee said wednesday technology companies would testify russian interference open hearing next month trump last week said football players fired kneeling national anthem the players want draw attention say social racial injustice intelligence agencies concluded russia orchestrated cyber offensive election discredit democratic candidate hillary clinton help trump republican win russia denies seeking influence election trump dismissed claims collusion fake news this version story refined remove extraneous word layers paragraph politicsnews