U.S. Military developing software that spreads propaganda on social media sites

[rambone]

In an effort to defend our republic from terrorists, the U.S. Military is spending our tax-dollars to develop software that will autonomously troll social media sites like Facebook & Twitter with fake profiles that spout pro-Government propaganda. They call it "sock puppet" software.

They hope that this development will lead the way for corporations and other governments to do the same.


Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media

 

[6birds]

Does this mean you're retiring?

 

[public servant]

Sorry...carry on...

 

[rambone]

Does this mean you're retiring?

Unfortunately I don't have unlimited taxpayer dollars to spend on developing an automated Rambone profile that could counter all the government BS. So I just have to stick to the old fashioned method. If you would speak up more often the Military wouldn't have to be doing this.

 

[E5RANGER375]

they also pay government trolls (agents) to stir up **** and try to entrap people. not talking about you Rambone.
welcome back by the way

 

[dross]

they also pay government trolls (agents) to stir up **** and try to entrap people. not talking about you Rambone.
welcome back by the way

Do you know where a person can apply for this position?

 

[E5RANGER375]

Do you know where a person can apply for this position?

atf, fbi, any of the homeland security departments

 

[6birds]

They start you off in the postal service, if you sell enough "collectable stamps", you move up to Sr Troll.

Be fore warned, you have to get a shot to get the position. You don't have a problems with that... do you?

 

[Expat]

So our government may have this contractor to post anti-terrorism arguments on foreign sites... wow, I am really outraged by that...

 

[level.eleven]

Another thread where the clique shows up to pile on Rambone with impunity....joy.

Sometimes it seems like projects like these are just a cycle of absurdity. Instead of striking the root of why people want to cause the US harm, we instead subvert honesty in an attempt to sway minds. When word gets out about these projects, another reason is created for someone outside the country to view the US in a negative light. In addition, isn't there a saying that the military is a "training ground" for techniques that eventually make there way into the US public?

 

[rambone]

So our government may have this contractor to post anti-terrorism arguments on foreign sites... wow, I am really outraged by that...

The article mentions Facebook.com & Twitter.com. Who knows what other sites. I saw nothing to imply that this was for foreign websites only, only that their software would be capable of spamming in multiple languages.

I thought you might be concerned because we are sort of going broke, and the last thing we need to be blowing tax-dollars on for automated trolls spreading the Federal Government's tripe.

 

[rjstew317]

(in my best hadji voice) stupid Americans, clogging up my twitter!!!

 

[Expat]

The article mentions Facebook.com & Twitter.com. Who knows what other sites. I saw nothing to imply that this was for foreign websites only, only that their software would be capable of spamming in multiple languages.

I thought you might be concerned because we are sort of going broke, and the last thing we need to be blowing tax-dollars on for automated trolls spreading the Federal Government's tripe.

Must not have read your article very closely then.

Centcom spokesman Commander Bill Speaks said: "The technology supports classified blogging activities on foreign-language websites to enable Centcom to counter violent extremist and enemy propaganda outside the US."

He said none of the interventions would be in English, as it would be unlawful to "address US audiences" with such technology, and any English-language use of social media by Centcom was always clearly attributed. The languages in which the interventions are conducted include Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and Pashto.

 

[rambone]

Interesting. Well I have little doubt that it will make its way here, just like level.eleven mentioned. And I don't hold any faith that the program will be used only against "violent extremists."

Unlawful? They've done it before.

 

[dross]

I have got to figure out a way to cash in on this insidious government ops operatus. I like the idea of working for an organization with an unlimited budget and no accountability. Talk about big bucks and job security.

 

[rambone]

 

[CarmelHP]

Interesting. Well I have little doubt that it will make its way here, just like level.eleven mentioned. And I don't hold any faith that the program will be used only against "violent extremists."

Unlawful? They've done it before.

They said the NAZIs were bad? Those fiends.

 

[rambone]

They said the NAZIs were bad? Those fiends.

Regardless of your opinion of being fed collectivist propaganda about rationing and killing dissent....

I was making the case that they will feed us propaganda, in English.

Also I find it silly that anyone thinks that we need to treat the undeclared war on tribal villagers with the same measures as we did battling against the Nazi war machine.

 

[dross]

Also I find it silly that anyone thinks that we need to treat the undeclared war on tribal villagers with the same measures as we did battling against the Nazi war machine.

Odd, I think I've detected that very same attitude in you when criticizing certain measures we've used in this war.

 

[rambone]

Odd, I think I've detected that very same attitude in you when criticizing certain measures we've used in this war.

I'm not totally sure what you mean. I think, that no matter if you are for or against the war in Afghanistan, you should be a little leery of fighting it with the same freedom-destroying voracity that we did in WW2. That road takes us in seriously messed up directions, from property confiscation to citizen internment camps. War destroys freedom by its very nature, which is why we should not pretend to be the World Police Department, looking for a foreign conflict to involve ourselves in every decade.