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As part of an inquiry to determine the role and influence of foreign actors abusing social media platforms to deflect political outcomes, the British parliament has contacted Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg requesting for information on any paid-for activity by Russian-linked Facebook accounts around the 2016 EU referendum and the 2017 UK election.

The request was made by Damian Collins, chair of parliament's Digital, Media and Sport Committee as part of its effort to gather evidence for an inquiry it is conducting into fake news.

"Part of this inquiry will focus on the role of foreign actors abusing platforms such as yours to interfere in the political discourse of other nations," Collins wrote in a letter to Zuckerberg circulated to media by the committee.

"I believe that the information I have requested is in line with that already supplied to Facebook to several United States Senate Committees, including the Senate Intelligence Committee, in relation to the 2016 U.S. presidential election," wrote Collins.

The notion that there might have been some external interference in the last UK elections and the 2016 referendum results has been gaining ground in recent weeks possibly leading to this inquiry.

Meanwhile, Russia has vehemently denied its involvement in the internal affairs of any other countries.