3 ms·

Hey, look, a new user, whose only post has the goal of discrediting Assange!

unimpressive 13y ago
I just assumed that it was a HN regular who didn't want to take the reputation hit for their 'unpopular' opinion. But yeah, it's a red flag. (I also couldn't tell if they were talking about me or Assange.)
cbgfdgmhtyju 13y ago
Hi! I've actually made a bunch of other posts discrediting Assange, too, but they're under other slamming-fist-against-the-keyboard usernames. :)
- aclevernickname 13y ago
  So do you at least get paid for it? serious question.
clicks 13y ago
This makes me curious. Do you think three-letter agencies are now actively trying to shape public opinion of themselves and their doings by astroturfing popular tech blogs? I recall seeing a document not too long about how the FBI could basically "destroy" a public forum by trolling, insulting, making fun of certain ideas certain principles certain people. In the recent months I've been seeing this on Reddit, -- views that before couldn't be found before about acceptance of surveillance at the cost of liberty, about the goods of laissez-faire capitalistic systems -- you didn't see this much on Reddit before. I'm not sure what to make of it, if it's just new users with different views or if there is some concerted effort by political, or possibly governmental entities to shape things in their favor. That probably sounds unreasonably conspiratorial, but nevertheless consider how effective such a taking would be. Once the public at large is on their side, it's a done deal. Anyway, the great thing about HN is we wouldn't fall prey to such troll tactics. It's good that unsubstantiated attacks, ad hominems, etc. are usually downvoted.
- cbgfdgmhtyju 13y ago
  > consider how effective such a taking would be. Effective at what? Getting computer programmers to going back on topic? That would be awesome. Why would the NSA care who's getting karma points on Hacker News?
  - clicks 13y ago
    I can't tell if you're a bad troll, if you're trying to be deliberately obtuse for whatever reason, or are just plain misinformed. But I'll humour you anyway. Keith Alexander, the NSA chief head himself, came to the last Defcon (IN BLACK JEANS AND A HIP T-SHIRT, NO LESS) trying to recruit hackers [1]. Shaping the opinions of hackers as to whether they support/work for the surveillance state. [1]: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57481689-83/nsa-director-finally-greets-defcon-hackers/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57481689-83/nsa-director-fi...
    - lhl 13y ago
      Not just any "hip" t-shirt, but an EFF t-shirt: https://twitter.com/EFF/status/346011010819305472 https://twitter.com/EFF/status/346011010819305472 And they that say irony is dead.
- mindcrime 13y ago
  Do you think three-letter agencies are now actively trying to shape public opinion of themselves and their doings by astroturfing popular tech blogs? I strongly suspect that they do. I think there have even been some published articles about various govt. agencies developing (or looking to develop) technology for this kind of manipulation. I don't have a citation handy, but if I can scare up one of the articles I think I'm remembering, I'll post it. Edit: Here you go, they they definitely have the technology, but - as you might expect - they claim it isn't used on Americans. But in light of everything else we've learned the past few weeks, would anybody be surprised to find out that they are, indeed, using this on Americans? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-oper...

I just assumed that it was a HN regular who didn't want to take the reputation hit for their 'unpopular' opinion. But yeah, it's a red flag. (I also couldn't tell if they were talking about me or Assange.)

cbgfdgmhtyju 13y ago

Hi! I've actually made a bunch of other posts discrediting Assange, too, but they're under other slamming-fist-against-the-keyboard usernames. :)

aclevernickname 13y ago
So do you at least get paid for it? serious question.

clicks 13y ago

This makes me curious. Do you think three-letter agencies are now actively trying to shape public opinion of themselves and their doings by astroturfing popular tech blogs? I recall seeing a document not too long about how the FBI could basically "destroy" a public forum by trolling, insulting, making fun of certain ideas certain principles certain people. In the recent months I've been seeing this on Reddit, -- views that before couldn't be found before about acceptance of surveillance at the cost of liberty, about the goods of laissez-faire capitalistic systems -- you didn't see this much on Reddit before. I'm not sure what to make of it, if it's just new users with different views or if there is some concerted effort by political, or possibly governmental entities to shape things in their favor. That probably sounds unreasonably conspiratorial, but nevertheless consider how effective such a taking would be. Once the public at large is on their side, it's a done deal. Anyway, the great thing about HN is we wouldn't fall prey to such troll tactics. It's good that unsubstantiated attacks, ad hominems, etc. are usually downvoted.

cbgfdgmhtyju 13y ago
> consider how effective such a taking would be. Effective at what? Getting computer programmers to going back on topic? That would be awesome. Why would the NSA care who's getting karma points on Hacker News?
- clicks 13y ago
  I can't tell if you're a bad troll, if you're trying to be deliberately obtuse for whatever reason, or are just plain misinformed. But I'll humour you anyway. Keith Alexander, the NSA chief head himself, came to the last Defcon (IN BLACK JEANS AND A HIP T-SHIRT, NO LESS) trying to recruit hackers [1]. Shaping the opinions of hackers as to whether they support/work for the surveillance state. [1]: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57481689-83/nsa-director-finally-greets-defcon-hackers/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57481689-83/nsa-director-fi...
  - lhl 13y ago
    Not just any "hip" t-shirt, but an EFF t-shirt: https://twitter.com/EFF/status/346011010819305472 https://twitter.com/EFF/status/346011010819305472 And they that say irony is dead.
mindcrime 13y ago
Do you think three-letter agencies are now actively trying to shape public opinion of themselves and their doings by astroturfing popular tech blogs? I strongly suspect that they do. I think there have even been some published articles about various govt. agencies developing (or looking to develop) technology for this kind of manipulation. I don't have a citation handy, but if I can scare up one of the articles I think I'm remembering, I'll post it. Edit: Here you go, they they definitely have the technology, but - as you might expect - they claim it isn't used on Americans. But in light of everything else we've learned the past few weeks, would anybody be surprised to find out that they are, indeed, using this on Americans? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-oper...