Kean, Foster Demand Action on Foreign Bots Fueling Political Violence

(October 14, 2025) WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ) and Bill Foster (D-IL) announced that they have sent a bipartisan letter calling on major social media companies to take stronger action against foreign bot farms spreading disinformation and inciting political violence. 

In their letter to the CEOs of Meta, X, YouTube, and Reddit, the lawmakers asked how each platform is detecting and managing adversarial bot accounts, as well as how they are coordinating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Department of Justice to counter these threats.

“With the alarming rise of foreign bot accounts spreading disinformation and fueling political division in the United States, we must take decisive steps to address this threat and hold foreign governments accountable,” said Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. “It is critical that we understand how our nation’s largest social media companies are detecting, tracking, and mitigating these malicious bots. We cannot allow foreign actors to exploit our online platforms to sow distrust, incite violence, and undermine the foundations of American democracy.”  

“The recent rise in political violence poses a serious threat to American democracy,” said Congressman Bill Foster. “The Justice Department has found that foreign adversaries are using online bot farms to spread disinformation that fuels this violence. At a time when the American public needs to come together, social media platforms must do more to protect Americans from divisive foreign influence.”

The letter was cosigned by Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).

A full copy of the letter can be found HERE.

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