
Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media (2011) - Lammy
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks
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peter_d_sherman
>"The US military is developing software that will let it secretly manipulate
social media sites by using fake online personas to influence internet
conversations and spread pro-American propaganda."

I thought this had been going on for some time; quite possibly since the early
days of the Internet, and not just from America -- but from all nations...

>"Once developed, the software could allow US service personnel, working
around the clock in one location, to respond to emerging online conversations
with any number of co-ordinated messages, blogposts, chatroom posts and other
interventions."

Again, it wouldn't surprise me if every single nation on the planet has this
at this point in time; and if they don't, they will...

To understand this, think of it this way -- the lowest barrier to entry for
something like this is a single person, paid for by one of the various
governments, posting messages on behalf of a particular agenda.

The next version up is a more sophisticated automated system (which is still
ridiculously cheap, given all of the $$$ that most governments have). Up from
there we have AI/Machine Learning driven systems, but the cost (again,
relative to governments' budgets) is still ridiculously cheap...

So, with all of that to gain, and no downside ( _well, other than spamming up
the Internet and destroying intellectual thought and debate with comments that
would make Billy Madison look like Albert Einstein_ : ("Mr. Madison, what
you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard.
At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to
anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is
now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have
mercy on your soul."))

But aside from that "minor drawback" <g>, to a government point of view, there
is no downside, and the cost is so cheap (relative to the $$$ they have), so
why not?

>"It also calls for "traffic mixing", blending the persona controllers'
internet usage with the usage of people outside Centcom in a manner that must
offer "excellent cover and powerful deniability"."

All I know is, if a user account, real or sockpuppet, man or AI -- tells me
that 2 + 2 = 4 -- it's probably right.

Conversely, if it tells me that 2 + 2 = 5, it's probably wrong.

My point is, I don't believe things just because people say them, or even
because a lot of people say them, whether those "people" are real people, paid
agents, or AI...

It's called "Critical Thinking".

Perhaps every country's defense establishments -- should invest a few dollars
of their tax base -- and teach it to their citizens...

The problem is, "Critical Thinking" \-- doesn't have a catchy sounding
militaristic title with "Operation" as the first word...

Create a fancy name like that, make it a "top secret" project, and I
guarantee, due to the Streisand Effect
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect)),
that you'll get everyone's attention!

Call it "Operation Free Your Mind" or something like that...<g>

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1121redblackgo
Great comment. Wish it had more of an audience, but I want to let you know you
at least reached me. Thanks for posting.

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peter_d_sherman
Thank you, for your kind comments!

