Big tech companies are preparing to set aside their rivalries to present a united front in Washington this week as they are forced to answer questions for the first time in public on Russian election interference.
Facebook, Twitter and Google will be grilled by lawmakers on how Russian operatives sought to use their ad services to meddle in US politics as the simmering controversy sets up a showdown for Silicon Valley on Capitol Hill.
With Russian-bought ads now the most pressing issue for tech companies whose power has raised myriad concerns in Washington, executives are working to forge an industry consensus to head off the threat of heavy-handed regulation.