4 ms·
> Moscow’s influence campaign followed a Russian messaging strategy that blends covert intelligence operations—such as cyber activity—with overt efforts by Russ
by idm 10y ago
> Moscow’s influence campaign followed a Russian messaging strategy that blends covert intelligence operations—such as cyber activity—with overt efforts by Russian Government agencies, state-funded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid social media users or “trolls.”
I think social media have been undermined for some time, although previously it was aggressive advertisers who were the culprits. "Astroturfing" is an old word by now. During the US election, this was simply taken to another level, and in a way that had a measurable impact on people's beliefs.
- mtgx 10y agoAlso, it's a well known fact Clinton paid "trolls" to change opinions online. Isn't that "influencing the election" as well? The U.S. needs so many new laws and changes to make its elections more fair (including media regulations during electoral campaigns), I wouldn't even know where to start.
- totally 10y agoCan you cite something to show that it is well known? I do not know this.
- buckbova 10y agoLook up Clinton and Correct The Record or CTR. There's a lot of noise out there but you can find references where several million dollars was paid for an internet misinformation campaign. > http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/news/press-releases/fec-must-investigate-unprecedented-violations-campaign-finance-laws-clinton http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/news/press-releases/fec-m... "Correct the Record: The Clinton-supporting super PAC, Correct the Record, asserts it can coordinate directly with the Clinton campaign as long as it doesn’t run paid advertising. Clinton’s attorneys are relying on a narrow 2006 FEC regulation that declared that content posted online for free, such as blogs written by unpaid volunteers, is off limits from regulation. But Correct the Record is not a volunteer blogging operation. It is a $6 million professional opposition research, surrogate training and messaging operation staffed with paid professional employees and operating out of a high-rise Washington, D.C. office building."
- pessimizer 10y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correct_the_Record https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correct_the_Record http://www.factcheck.org/2016/01/correct-the-record/ http://www.factcheck.org/2016/01/correct-the-record/ http://web.archive.org/web/20160421163946/http://correctrecord.org/barrier-breakers-2016-a-project-of-correct-the-record/ http://web.archive.org/web/20160421163946/http://correctreco... http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-clinton-digital-trolling-20160506-snap-htmlstory.html http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-clinton-digital-trolli... edit: Insufficiently neutral sources?
- totally 10y agoThanks! It's still a stretch to say that "Clinton paid trolls" since PACs (hybrid-PACs?) offer a layer of indirection.
- jwtadvice2 10y agoBut we would want to say the same thing about Russian intelligence and US intelligence and their 'paid trolls'. They do it through layers of obscurity exactly for deniability. We need to hold them all to the same standard. I don't know what that standard is, mind you.
- colordrops 10y agoHow is it a stretch? They were clearly and obviously working for Clinton.
- totally 10y ago"working for" as in aligning their cause, but not necessarily "working for" as in being paid by. There's no indication that Clinton gave them money, is there?
- colordrops 10y agoYou can't be serious.
- 10y ago
- KVFinn 10y ago>Also, it's a well known fact Clinton paid "trolls" to change opinions online. >“Barrier Breakers accounts are always identified as Correct the Record,” spokesperson Elizabeth Shappell said. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12536277 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12536277
- buckbova 10y agoHardly proof that CTR did not systematically downvote pro-trump and promote pro-hillary content and comments.
- KVFinn 10y ago>Hardly proof that CTR did not systematically downvote pro-trump and promote pro-hillary content and comments. It is claimed by many that CTR publicly claimed their work was to pay for anonymous comments online. This impression has spread far and wide. There is no such claim or statement by the PAC -- that is clearly false.
- kevinh 10y agoSurely the onus is on people to show that CTR did so.
- jessaustin 10y agoThe U.S. needs so many new laws... This is the rabbit hole that so many statist authoritarians want to descend. That will be really bad for the nation. The framers had it right when they said "Congress shall make no law..."
- ENOTTY 10y agoThere's a difference between a domestic operation and an operation conducted by a foreign power. The principle is what level of outside interference will the US accept.