6 ms·

Is there a credible list of disclosed secret projects like this? Would make a fun read

by _def 6y ago

cocoapuffs7 6y ago
Category links on the wiki article? Down at the bottom
benbreen 6y ago
I'm a historian of science working on a journal article/ possibly a magazine article on the topic. There's a ton of misinformation, but one place to start that's really fun to browse and, presumably, a legit source of documents is the CIA's own recent FOIA release from last year, about their "Animal Partners" program: https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/collection/animal-partners?page=1 https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/collection/animal-pa... By the way, on the off chance that anyone reading this was involved in or has a friend or family member involved in this kind of work, please let me know if you think they might want to talk to me! I'm currently interviewing people. Contact info in my profile.
- dynamite-ready 6y ago
  When exploring 'disclosures' of this kind, what proof is there for the existence of such work? Take the common attitude to somewhat more contemporary conspiracy theories... They seem far more believable than a scheme like this. Yet the government appears to ratify this story. Might it not just be a more sophisticated layer of misinformation?
  - rsynnott 6y ago
    This particular example is far too embarrassing to make up. Why would you make up something which shows you being so incompetent?
    - shoes_for_thee 6y ago
      /shrug. i can think of any number of totally hypothetical reasons why demonstrating incompetence would be a strategic or tactical win. - now your enemy is complacent, secure in the knowledge that you are super super dumb - now your enemy is on the lookout for dog and cat listening devices rather than the 5th generation bird listening devices - now your enemy is indeed paranoid about any stupid animal roaming about and has to meet in enclosed spaces - you, knowing that experimenting on cute cats is unethical, seek to terminate the practice by devising an experiment that fails so embarrassingly as to never be tried again etc
      - rsynnott 6y ago
        This was only declassified in 2001, though; the state of the art in bugging cats has presumably improved significantly, so it's no longer relevant.
mhh__ 6y ago
Operation RAFTER is one of the most important projects of this nature that actually worked. The Wikipedia page of both it and creator could use some love unfortunately (One day I'll get round to it)

Is there a credible list of disclosed secret projects like this? Would make a fun read

by _def 6y ago

Is there a credible list of disclosed secret projects like this? Would make a fun read

cocoapuffs7 6y ago

Category links on the wiki article? Down at the bottom

benbreen 6y ago

I'm a historian of science working on a journal article/ possibly a magazine article on the topic. There's a ton of misinformation, but one place to start that's really fun to browse and, presumably, a legit source of documents is the CIA's own recent FOIA release from last year, about their "Animal Partners" program: https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/collection/animal-partners?page=1 https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/collection/animal-pa... By the way, on the off chance that anyone reading this was involved in or has a friend or family member involved in this kind of work, please let me know if you think they might want to talk to me! I'm currently interviewing people. Contact info in my profile.

dynamite-ready 6y ago
When exploring 'disclosures' of this kind, what proof is there for the existence of such work? Take the common attitude to somewhat more contemporary conspiracy theories... They seem far more believable than a scheme like this. Yet the government appears to ratify this story. Might it not just be a more sophisticated layer of misinformation?
- rsynnott 6y ago
  This particular example is far too embarrassing to make up. Why would you make up something which shows you being so incompetent?
  - shoes_for_thee 6y ago
    /shrug. i can think of any number of totally hypothetical reasons why demonstrating incompetence would be a strategic or tactical win. - now your enemy is complacent, secure in the knowledge that you are super super dumb - now your enemy is on the lookout for dog and cat listening devices rather than the 5th generation bird listening devices - now your enemy is indeed paranoid about any stupid animal roaming about and has to meet in enclosed spaces - you, knowing that experimenting on cute cats is unethical, seek to terminate the practice by devising an experiment that fails so embarrassingly as to never be tried again etc
    - rsynnott 6y ago
      This was only declassified in 2001, though; the state of the art in bugging cats has presumably improved significantly, so it's no longer relevant.

mhh__ 6y ago

Operation RAFTER is one of the most important projects of this nature that actually worked. The Wikipedia page of both it and creator could use some love unfortunately (One day I'll get round to it)