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Psyops and Trolls - American Propaganda

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Medclinician View Drop Down
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    Posted: October 12 2017 at 7:33am
A few years back people really started giving me a hard time when I spoke of trolls and U.S. Intelligence operatives posting on AFT threads to mess up some of the content. Often if appeared that when a thread really got cooking and it was questioning either the government accuracy of information of the CDC we would get a troll.

Well - they exist - and recently a new repeal of a law gives them even more freedom to deliberately control media and websites and post false information as well as attack people they target. This is done partially through what is called Psyops..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_Operations_%28United_States%29


https://www.rt.com/op-edge/406375-russia-us-social-media-propaganda/

But where was all the sanctimonious outrage in 2011 when it was revealed the US military was developing software that would allow it to secretly manipulate social media platforms using fake personas to “influence internet conversations and spread pro-American propaganda,” as reported by the Guardian at the time.

“The discovery that the US military is developing false online personalities – known to users of social media as "sockpuppets" – could also encourage other governments, private companies, and non-government organizations to do the same,” The Guardian wrote.

So, if American journalists and politicians want to blame anyone for Russia potentially utilizing social media sockpuppets to influence online conversations, they need look no further than their own military, it seems.

The US military enlisted the services of a California corporation to create the fake online personas. Under the contract, one serviceman or woman would be able to control up to ten separate fake identities worldwide — identities which would need to have their own convincing backgrounds and histories.

Of course, Centcom and the US government explain all this away, promising that they only use programs like these to counter violent and extremist enemy propaganda, but is there anyone naive enough to believe that’s truly all these sock-puppet accounts are used for?

In 2014, the US military studied and recorded the activities of people on Twitter and other social media services to understand how influenced behavior happens on social platforms. The study, which was funded by the US Department of Defense’s military research department (Darpa) went so far as to message unknowing participants to see how they responded. The aim was for the US military to become better at detecting online propaganda campaigns — and running its own. Surprise, surprise, the official description of the study states its aim was simply to “counter misinformation or deception campaigns with truthful information.”

We know that is hogwash thanks to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden who revealed information showing massive and wide-reaching government efforts to use social media for propaganda and disinformation. The NSA along with the British GCHQ run entire units dedicated to “discrediting” their targets online through disinformation campaigns — which include fake blog posts and emails and texts being sent to colleagues, neighbors, and friends.

In 2015, The Guardian reported the British Army was creating a special force of “Facebook warriors” who are “skilled in psychological operations and social media,” to engage in “unconventional warfare” in the information age. It’s interesting too that we’re supposed to call Russians “trolls” and “bots” — but Western social media propagandists get to be “warriors.”

The force would attempt to “control the narrative” in favor of British foreign policy goals. The same Guardian report noted that the Israeli Defense Forces had pioneered military engagement with social media since its 2008 war in Gaza and was active on 30 platforms in six languages.

Both the US and UK are aggressive in their manipulation of people through online forums — both domestically and abroad. This sparks little outrage and receives practically no coverage in comparison with the coverage that reports of Russian influence on Facebook and Twitter have received in recent weeks.

This is an opportune moment for American journalists to remind people just how much their own government tries to control their minds and control narratives online. Instead, they’re busy obsessively parroting US intelligence officials and whipping the public into a frenzy about Russia.

comment: I have been dealing with this since 2009 and the Obama Administration.  Through the entire Pandemic volumes of false information was put out so people wouldn't panic. Although I put up videos from inside countries during the Ebola outbreak in Africa - it was considerably downplayed and cases in the U.S. almost impossible to find.

This will continue - and be assured Big Brother and now Big Sister are ever with us as they continue to gather every email, every phone call and store it and review it at data central in Utah.

There is no privacy on the Internet and Trolls are not simply the daydream of the Tinhats - they live and breathe and are well funded and have several working task forces to control what you read and think.

By the way, once upon a time when I was "helping America" I ... been there done that. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

Medclinician

SockPuppet PsychoBlender : Do you know what Medclinician posted today about the fact that Swine Flu mutated in Australia and may sweep America and start the next Pandemic?

SockPuppetRollYourOwn: No, but I can post a dozen posts of total nonsense on the thread and trash it bad.

SockPupptet PsychoBlender: Go for it!

"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technophobe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 12 2017 at 8:32am
That is absolutely correct, Med.  Not exactly news; as it was going on long before Obama's time.  It is a constant and will remain so.  The military wings of every government probably infiltrated Twitter within 24 hours of its inception.

For the most part that which stems from our own governments is relatively benign, though not guaranteed to remain so.  Propaganda is a fact of life.  Its effectiveness is well proven.  So, all governments indulge massively.  

It warrants mentioning that there is negative propaganda as well.  D-Notices are voluntary on the part of the broadcaster, but are issued far more often than people not 'in-the-know' think.

I do not know why you raised this issue now, Med.  But, I am glad you did.  Being a patriot, believing your government is trying to do the best for its people that it can and trusting that your military are working on your behalf (as I am and do, and you seem to be and do as well) does not mean you can afford to take your eyes off of the ball.

Thanks!
How do you tell if a politician is lying?
His lips or pen are moving.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Medclinician Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 14 2017 at 3:07pm
Originally posted by Technophobe Technophobe wrote:

That is absolutely correct, Med.  Not exactly news; as it was going on long before Obama's time.  It is a constant and will remain so.  The military wings of every government probably infiltrated Twitter within 24 hours of its inception.

For the most part that which stems from our own governments is relatively benign, though not guaranteed to remain so.  Propaganda is a fact of life.  Its effectiveness is well proven.  So, all governments indulge massively.  

It warrants mentioning that there is negative propaganda as well.  D-Notices are voluntary on the part of the broadcaster, but are issued far more often than people not 'in-the-know' think.

I do not know why you raised this issue now, Med.  But, I am glad you did.  Being a patriot, believing your government is trying to do the best for its people that it can and trusting that your military are working on your behalf (as I am and do, and you seem to be and do as well) does not mean you can afford to take your eyes off of the ball.

Thanks!


I do understand this. Since we live in a time of Internet and the media, psychological weapons and attacks can be a lot more deadly than bombs. No doubt Russia, laying aside all the controversy, is well aware of this and using the social media to full effect. ISIS has become more aware and much more proficient and so we have to be even more vigilant.

Groups of people can be used to "gang stalk" individuals who might be considered a potential threat. That puts a lot of veterans on the radar. Especially those with advanced training and weapons skills many people do not have.  Double on the explosives.

The media is heavily controlled by special interest groups and the government. It is not the "free press" although it is much more blatant in other countries.

We live in a world where we are all under surveillance and depending if we  use the wrong words or say the wrong things - we will get a lot more attention than we want from people we would rather not have it from.

Yet knowing the sharks, the hackers, the Psyops exist everywhere - there maybe some logic and survival value in knowing that our sharks, Psyops, and hackers have to be the best and most capable on the planet.

Medclinician
"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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