A parliamentary committee has set a deadline of January 18 for Facebook and Twitter to provide information on supposed "Russian misinformation" or face sanctions.

Damian Collins, Conservative chair of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, declared the deadline before the New Year, insisting that Facebook and Twitter supply details of social media accounts and pages allegedly operated by Russian "misinformation actors."

The select committee is investigating so-called "fake news," centering on accusations of foreign interference in the June 2016 referendum on UK membership of the European Union and the June 2017 general election.

Both polls resulted in shock setbacks for the ruling elite, with the "Leave" vote narrowly winning the Brexit referendum and Prime Minister Theresa May losing her parliamentary majority in the general election.