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Israel set up troll farms years ago to attack, debate, downvote and report opposing content. It's the front channel. https://electronicintifada.net/content/ins

Israel set up troll farms years ago to attack, debate, downvote and report opposing content. It's the front channel. https://electronicintifada.net/content/inside-israels-million-dollar-troll-army/27566 https://electronicintifada.net/content/inside-israels-millio...

DarkByte 3y ago
This is extremely concerning if true.
nolongerthere 3y ago
Your source is not reliable for any information regarding any topic, but is especially unreliable for topics involving Jews or Israel.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- tdeck 3y ago
  act.il was a pretty well known effort, there are multiple sources that describe the same thing and it wasn't exactly a secret.
- Sporktacular 3y ago
  Then see the wikipedia page on that or on Hasbara fellowships.
Kranar 3y ago
Saying Israel set this up is quite misleading. This group is no more affiliated with Israel than Alex Jones is affiliated with the U.S. This is a grassroots organization doing this and in fact its funding and support mostly comes from Americans, such as casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and the Israeli-American Council.
- dundarious 3y ago
  Your rhetorical point about Alex Jones is contradicted within your own post. Alex Jones does not receive grant funding from the US government, but this group does receive a portion of its funding from the Israeli government. James Bamford has written at least 3 good articles about Israeli government influence of US civil society (social media) and elections (the leak of the DNC hack materials), all in the last year or so, at The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/authors/james-bamford/ https://www.thenation.com/authors/james-bamford/ And until extremely recently, the IDF and associated arms of the state have been engaging in even more deceptive actions, such as creating sock-puppet accounts to bolster support for government policy, targeting Israelis themselves: https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-admits-psychological-warfare-attempt-against-israeli-citizens/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-admits-psychological-warfa... It's impossible to be certain of anything related to these highly unaccountable and secret operations, but the "grain" of truth runs very much in the direction of Israeli state interference, with quite wide scope -- but effectiveness unknown.
  - Kranar 3y ago
    act.il has never received any government funding. It was an entirely grassroots organization with no affiliation to the Israeli government. Please stop spreading misinformation.
    - Sporktacular 3y ago
      You are wrong. It is part of a campaign called 4il which is supported and spearheaded by the staffed by the Israeli Strategic Affairs Ministry. Act.il's is staffed by former intelligence officers and its founder and CEO is former intelligence officer Yarden Ben Yosef who said that "both Israels military and the Shin Bet security service were making specific requests from Act.il for its help in getting violent anti-Israel videos removed from Facebook and other platforms." before walking the statement back. If you call that no affiliation, then you're spreading misinformation. https://archive.is/ERHPN#selection-2055.97-2055.288 https://archive.is/ERHPN#selection-2055.97-2055.288 https://archive.is/BR10K https://archive.is/BR10K
local_crmdgeon 3y ago
[flagged]
- Sporktacular 3y ago
  And it's important to not make such claims lightly. But organised crowdsourcing of public discussion is happening in the open under the guise of "counter dangerous trends online" or "making sure Israel is presented fairly and accurately". Any propagandist can use similar justifications for what is bordering on censorship. The sad fact is this will be used by anti-semites, but that's precisely why the State of Israel (Ministry of Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, intelligence or others) should NOT engage in it.

DarkByte 3y ago

This is extremely concerning if true.

nolongerthere 3y ago

Your source is not reliable for any information regarding any topic, but is especially unreliable for topics involving Jews or Israel.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
tdeck 3y ago
act.il was a pretty well known effort, there are multiple sources that describe the same thing and it wasn't exactly a secret.
Sporktacular 3y ago
Then see the wikipedia page on that or on Hasbara fellowships.

Kranar 3y ago

Saying Israel set this up is quite misleading. This group is no more affiliated with Israel than Alex Jones is affiliated with the U.S. This is a grassroots organization doing this and in fact its funding and support mostly comes from Americans, such as casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and the Israeli-American Council.

dundarious 3y ago
Your rhetorical point about Alex Jones is contradicted within your own post. Alex Jones does not receive grant funding from the US government, but this group does receive a portion of its funding from the Israeli government. James Bamford has written at least 3 good articles about Israeli government influence of US civil society (social media) and elections (the leak of the DNC hack materials), all in the last year or so, at The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/authors/james-bamford/ https://www.thenation.com/authors/james-bamford/ And until extremely recently, the IDF and associated arms of the state have been engaging in even more deceptive actions, such as creating sock-puppet accounts to bolster support for government policy, targeting Israelis themselves: https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-admits-psychological-warfare-attempt-against-israeli-citizens/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-admits-psychological-warfa... It's impossible to be certain of anything related to these highly unaccountable and secret operations, but the "grain" of truth runs very much in the direction of Israeli state interference, with quite wide scope -- but effectiveness unknown.
- Kranar 3y ago
  act.il has never received any government funding. It was an entirely grassroots organization with no affiliation to the Israeli government. Please stop spreading misinformation.
  - Sporktacular 3y ago
    You are wrong. It is part of a campaign called 4il which is supported and spearheaded by the staffed by the Israeli Strategic Affairs Ministry. Act.il's is staffed by former intelligence officers and its founder and CEO is former intelligence officer Yarden Ben Yosef who said that "both Israels military and the Shin Bet security service were making specific requests from Act.il for its help in getting violent anti-Israel videos removed from Facebook and other platforms." before walking the statement back. If you call that no affiliation, then you're spreading misinformation. https://archive.is/ERHPN#selection-2055.97-2055.288 https://archive.is/ERHPN#selection-2055.97-2055.288 https://archive.is/BR10K https://archive.is/BR10K

local_crmdgeon 3y ago

[flagged]

Sporktacular 3y ago
And it's important to not make such claims lightly. But organised crowdsourcing of public discussion is happening in the open under the guise of "counter dangerous trends online" or "making sure Israel is presented fairly and accurately". Any propagandist can use similar justifications for what is bordering on censorship. The sad fact is this will be used by anti-semites, but that's precisely why the State of Israel (Ministry of Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, intelligence or others) should NOT engage in it.