Is the Internet Being Used (right now) to Start World War III?

reply to post by jackflap

This is a chart that the Air Force uses to show how public opinion is influenced by social media....

Most people are followers only one in a hundred or so leaders, a prisoner of war study showed .

In the fight over HR 875 and the other food safety bills, we farmers found out that if some one was an "authority" and said "the Tester amendment exempted producers with less than $500,000 a year in sales " then it did not matter if you quoted the actual bill and showed it was a scam. Because Organic Consumer Assoc, the Consumers Union and several other front organizations said we were "dis-info agents" we were accused of internet HYSTERIA!

As far as I can tell TPTB has a whole arsenal of weapons they use to herd the sheeple. If herding does not work they just lobby/bribe/threaten law makers, get the law passed anyway and the heck with people opinion. We will shut up after the next staged distraction.

Would it be wrong for us to use this Persona Management program to spread awareness about all the lies, corruption, and fraud by TPTB and how we’re being led into one world government?

It may be dishonest in a sense, but seeing as how we truly are in an information war right now, the ends would obviously justify the means. Waking people up to the grim reality we’re faced with is really the only way to stop what’s coming, and it seems like our chances are decreasing with each and every day that passes.

Imagine if even 100 of us all had 10 online personas each and went across the net posting on popular blogs, forums, news websites, and social networking sites, spreading truth, information, and knowledge.

Why not take a page out of the other team’s playbook and use it against them?

reply to post by TinfoilTP


Ah-hem, Dude!

You realize you are denying what the United States Central Command is not!

Spy bloggers not ‘friending’ U.S. targets, Centcom says
By Jeff Stein

The U.S. Central Command says its new “Persona” social media "infiltration" software is designed to cozy up to extremist bloggers overseas, not law-abiding Americans chatting on Facebook or similar sites.

voices.washingtonpost.com...


So according to both the Washington Post and the Pentagon's Central Command in charge of the Middle East this software is doing exactly what I laid out in the opening piece, cozying up to extremist bloggers overseas.

Re: the guys starting this protests.

So not only is this stuff real, not only was it not a waste of money, not only did the head of HB Gary not step down because it's a waste of money, but they are admitting this much above because of this:

Further compounding a sinister view of the software was the discovery of e-mails from the head of a company implicated in “dirty tricks” against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and a pro-labor organization, which discussed how such technology could be used.

"There are a variety of social media tricks we can use to add a level of realness to all fictitious personas...” wrote Aaron Barr, the chief executive officer of HBGary Federal, a Colorado Springs company whose hacked e-mails revealed plans to attack critics of Bank of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

voices.washingtonpost.com...

So we don't just have Proto saying these things, we have the United States Central Command admitting days after I made this thread publicly questioning whether they are using this software in the Middle East in relation to these uprisings and they are.

The Washington Post confirms that.

In addition we have HB Gary Emails clearly showing that yes, not only was the U.S. Military a satisfied customer of this software, but that efforts were being made to market it to large banks, and organizations for their own political use.

Not sure where you are getting your theories from friend, but your contentions aren't even remotely supported by the facts.

Thanks.

reply to post by skeptic_al


It is no accident that our entire economy is based on oil production. The oil, auto, and the ICs in general have done everything in their power to insure that we are dependent on oil. The main reason is because oil is so centrally controlled, that is gives TPB huge amounts of leverage over the population.

Look at how successful the PTB have been in getting us to surrender our rights since the energy crisis of the 1970ties. Control of the U.S. economy completely depends on keeping us dependent on oil.

This is why the PTB are so desperate to keep the oil flowing, and why they are so intent in hiding the reality of peak oil. When the easy to get high quality crude runs out, then so does the long run of victories the PTB/ICs have been enjoying since the oil crisis of the 1970ties.

There are plenty of alternative energy sources available, and those numbers keep increasing as technology advances. The alternative forms of energy however, are not easily centrally controlled like oil production has been over the last hundred plus years. Eventually market economics will win out, and the world will turn to alternative energy sources, and the ability of ICs to dominate and control the world economy will be greatly diminished.

This is the reality that the PTB desperately want to keep the world from knowing.

Originally posted by Epiphron
Would it be wrong for us to use this Persona Management program to spread awareness about all the lies, corruption, and fraud by TPTB and how we’re being led into one world government?

It may be dishonest in a sense, but seeing as how we truly are in an information war right now, the ends would obviously justify the means. Waking people up to the grim reality we’re faced with is really the only way to stop what’s coming, and it seems like our chances are decreasing with each and every day that passes.

Imagine if even 100 of us all had 10 online personas each and went across the net posting on popular blogs, forums, news websites, and social networking sites, spreading truth, information, and knowledge.

Why not take a page out of the other team’s playbook and use it against them?

The problem with doing that my friend, is yes, while you might win the battle eventually you will have lost the war.

The war to be different than those currently in charge of the system.

By resorting to their own tactics, you might as well in fact just resign to join them, as ultimately you would be no different than them, if to win and dominate it requires not being honest, and deliberately manipulating people.

Right now one of America's greatest obsticals to a brighter tomorrow is we have in fact abandoned those things we are supposed to prize, equality, justice, freedom against unreasonable search and seizure, torturing people, imprisoning them with out trial, making the tax payers bail out corporations, etc. etc. just to name a few, for the sake of expedience.

In other words we gave up the things that were supposed to make us different and special, just to in effect be exactly like the people we are made to decry though the government, that is in fact no different than the governments it is having us decry.

So yes, I think if we are to ever have an honest system, it can only come up through honest actions, so no, I don't recommend people fighting for the cause of freedom, truth, justice and frito lay to use this software.

Edit to add: I do see no problem with offering people free porn to join the resistence

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
reply to post by TinfoilTP

 

Ah-hem, Dude!

You realize you are denying what the United States Central Command is not!

Spy bloggers not ‘friending’ U.S. targets, Centcom says
By Jeff Stein

The U.S. Central Command says its new “Persona” social media "infiltration" software is designed to cozy up to extremist bloggers overseas, not law-abiding Americans chatting on Facebook or similar sites.

voices.washingtonpost.com...


So according to both the Washington Post and the Pentagon's Central Command in charge of the Middle East this software is doing exactly what I laid out in the opening piece, cozying up to extremist bloggers overseas.

Re: the guys starting this protests.

So not only is this stuff real, not only was it not a waste of money, not only did the head of HB Gary not step down because it's a waste of money, but they are admitting this much above because of this:

Further compounding a sinister view of the software was the discovery of e-mails from the head of a company implicated in “dirty tricks” against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and a pro-labor organization, which discussed how such technology could be used.

"There are a variety of social media tricks we can use to add a level of realness to all fictitious personas...” wrote Aaron Barr, the chief executive officer of HBGary Federal, a Colorado Springs company whose hacked e-mails revealed plans to attack critics of Bank of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

voices.washingtonpost.com...

So we don't just have Proto saying these things, we have the United States Central Command admitting days after I made this thread publicly questioning whether they are using this software in the Middle East in relation to these uprisings and they are.

The Washington Post confirms that.

In addition we have HB Gary Emails clearly showing that yes, not only was the U.S. Military a satisfied customer of this software, but that efforts were being made to market it to large banks, and organizations for their own political use.

Not sure where you are getting your theories from friend, but your contentions aren't even remotely supported by the facts.

Thanks.

All I see evidence of is they are using it to sit in on groups so they can SPY on them and know stuff that spies are always interested in. Who are they, their intentions, and so forth. This just proves that the stuff is garbage and does not work because the protests came as a suprise to everybody. If this app worked they would have known ahead of time who was organizing and tipped off Mubarak and he'd still be there. There is no evidence this app is worth the money spent on it. More of our taxdollars down the drain is what it looks like.

Before someone says they wanted the protests to happen..... Obama does not want oil prices spiking when the next election cycle is coming around, re-election is easier with a stable ME along with stable oil prices.

reply to post by TinfoilTP


See this might be your problem that you imagine Obama actually is in control of the Defense Department, don't you think it's a little strange that like at the Federal Reserve some of these heads stay on from one administration to the next even when they are appointed by a different party, originally, like Gates and Bernake are?

Obama is merely a puppet of much more powerful corporate interests, and yeah, they want the gas price to go up, and the economy to tank, and if you imagine Obama has actually been trying to fix the economy, I think you are really well, just not a very good judge of people or things.

Thanks.

I just thought I would add a link to this thread too,

www.abovetopsecret.com...

since it relates in the sense that it is our government getting busted plotting to use persona software and other internet based means to harass US citizens on behalf of corporate interests.


It funny that since this thread has come out, all sorts of stuff is popping up that demonstrates just how the internet is being used as weapon, against the citizens in democratic nations.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler

Originally posted by Epiphron
Would it be wrong for us to use this Persona Management program to spread awareness about all the lies, corruption, and fraud by TPTB and how we’re being led into one world government?

It may be dishonest in a sense, but seeing as how we truly are in an information war right now, the ends would obviously justify the means. Waking people up to the grim reality we’re faced with is really the only way to stop what’s coming, and it seems like our chances are decreasing with each and every day that passes.

Imagine if even 100 of us all had 10 online personas each and went across the net posting on popular blogs, forums, news websites, and social networking sites, spreading truth, information, and knowledge.

Why not take a page out of the other team’s playbook and use it against them?

The problem with doing that my friend, is yes, while you might win the battle eventually you will have lost the war.

The war to be different than those currently in charge of the system.

By resorting to their own tactics, you might as well in fact just resign to join them, as ultimately you would be no different than them, if to win and dominate it requires not being honest, and deliberately manipulating people.

Right now one of America's greatest obsticals to a brighter tomorrow is we have in fact abandoned those things we are supposed to prize, equality, justice, freedom against unreasonable search and seizure, torturing people, imprisoning them with out trial, making the tax payers bail out corporations, etc. etc. just to name a few, for the sake of expedience.

In other words we gave up the things that were supposed to make us different and special, just to in effect be exactly like the people we are made to decry though the government, that is in fact no different than the governments it is having us decry.

So yes, I think if we are to ever have an honest system, it can only come up through honest actions, so no, I don't recommend people fighting for the cause of freedom, truth, justice and frito lay to use this software.

Edit to add: I do see no problem with offering people free porn to join the resistence

I would probably be one of the first to join an effort that Epiphron is suggesting! -- lock stock and barrel with my pogo stick set to high!

It could already be happening on this site and others (maybe even this thread).

[color=cyan]BUT, Proto brings up the ultimate power of all -- HONESTY!

I think all of us at one time or another have been guilty of "joining the opposition" by resorting to their tactics, and many times not even knowing it!

Any regular job seems to produce workers and especially managers who will always go along with the flow in order to impress somebody else. Hence, we "become the beast" that we at first were afraid of!

TPTB know all this and will continue to manipulate and coerce anything and everything by always introducing their "theory -- anti-theory" agendas.

We all need to remember the old saying: "What goes around comes Around" --- happens every time! This could be the real reason for some - I say some - of the failures of TPTB over the many 1000's of years. But then again, TPTB have a knack for turning bad things into profits!


I believe WE could all "become the software" (or already have become) without the tricks by just continuing on the way we are!

With this site being so slow lately, I think a whole lot of people are "watching and listening" .... more than we think! TPTB are also VERY AWARE of the opinions and observations around "here"!

An "honest approach" might just get results!

many of our posts here on ATS will show up on Google searches -- the bell is ringing!

The "software in question" is merely another tool of TPTB -- if it's not this, it would be something else.

THEY always find a way to get the wealth in their backyards.

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander

It funny that since this thread has come out, all sorts of stuff is popping up that demonstrates just how the internet is being used as weapon, against the citizens in democratic nations.

ATS is certainly not just a respected site when it comes to the medias checking up on some of the commentary and topics for a pulse, but a lot of what get's discussed here on ATS then travels outward from here by members of the site who also belong to a lot of other sites, and in some cases have their own.

I think a small but dedicated group of people across the Internet were pretty shocked that this HB Gary software didn't get much attention a month ago when the story first broke, and like me have been working to dilligently expose it.

In an odd way that's all it really takes is a small but vocal group determined to not let something quietly die, and believe me, a lot of people in government, the military, and the corporate world really were hoping this would just fade quietly away.

The Internet has an incredible power, and under no circumstances good and bad, should anyone imagine ATS or the Internet in general is like Las Vegas, what gets said here does not stay here.

It travels, and that is precisely why the government is looking for ways to manipulte public opinion on the web.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
In an odd way that's all it really takes is a small but vocal group determined to not let something quietly die, and believe me, a lot of people in government, the military, and the corporate world really were hoping this would just fade quietly away.

I hope so.

Im not terribly technologically savvy, but I am dogged and determined, and willing to annoy the crap out of people by bringing up issues they would rather ignore in polite conversation. You do what you can.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
reply to post by TinfoilTP

 

See this might be your problem that you imagine Obama actually is in control of the Defense Department, don't you think it's a little strange that like at the Federal Reserve some of these heads stay on from one administration to the next even when they are appointed by a different party, originally, like Gates and Bernake are?

Obama is merely a puppet of much more powerful corporate interests, and yeah, they want the gas price to go up, and the economy to tank, and if you imagine Obama has actually been trying to fix the economy, I think you are really well, just not a very good judge of people or things.

Thanks.

I think with Obama having used several names in His life already,

He Himself may be a good example of a Sock Puppet!

Maybe some of the gibberish we see on some posts is really His "other selves"!

and I'm disappointed now that I learn that Obama IS NOT IN CONTROL of the Defense Dept and Gas Prices! They always said in school that The President is the supreme power! I'm all confused now.

reply to post by xuenchen


It's not so much about honesty as it is legitimacy and veracity my friend.

I was at Publix today where shopping is always a pleasure, where I happened to spy a member of the Surfside Town Council (the little incorporated town in North Miami Beach I live and the Publix is in) engaged in coversation with a few Orthodox Jewish Leaders in the community regarding a controversy over a recently errected temple for one of the Jewish subsects, that was erected in violation of the zoning laws where it was placed.

The town's mayor and majority vote of the City Council is sueing the Temple for 1,000,000.00 for the violation.

So they were discussing about how to get the Mayor recalled, and 3 of the council members who voted for the lawsuit.

I decided that conversation was more interesting than deciding which batch of green onions to select and waded in.

I said look here is the problem, if the Temple's not zoned, the Temples not zoned, if you put out a petition to recall these people and get a special ballot well, to a non Jew like me it looks like you as Jews are dictating the politics of the town, including where things can be built or not, specifically as they pertain to Jews.

I said are you guys nuts, and you wonder why people talk about Jewish conspiracies, you make yourselves look bad when you do it that way.

It's much better to put on the ballot a change of zoning, where you will still have enough clout as a demographic to get the zoning law changed, you get what you want, but you get what you want with out making it look like it's all about you and nothing but you.

The whole town gets to vote, there is a Jewish majority, so you will win the vote, and it doesn't make you look unseemly.

You could see the little light bulbs going off in their minds as they realized I was right.

Recalling the politicians that voted against them for violating the zoning laws, is petty and self serving, and dishonest to the extreme, legally getting the zoning changed is legitmate and honest as the day is long.

It's about whether ultimately you want to be seen as credible and legitimate, honest and trustworthy, or you just want to be that person who wants to win at any and all costs, and the only virtue you only then really have is wanting to win at all costs.

Let me put it to you this way, the Government and the Powers that Be are going to do everything in their power to make people who oppose them not seem credible, doing anything that gives them ammunition in that regard?

Not a good idea.

That's my two cents.

Thanks my friend.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
[
It's about whether ultimately you want to be seen as credible and legitimate, honest and trustworthy, or you just want to be that person who wants to win at any and all costs, and the only virtue you only then really have is wanting to win at all costs.

Amen. And as a philosopher, I would say it goes beyond just legitimacy in the public sense. Be credible, honest, fair, trustworthy and noble because it is the right thing for YOU on all levels whether anyone ever notices or not.

YOU will know. YOU will like yourself better. You DO win when you are those things. Its a trick and a trap to believe that "winning" and "success" are external. They are totally internal, and they always have been.

Be what you want to see in the world. You impact others by doing so, and most importantly, you have the one thing you ever truly can call your own, integrity.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
reply to post by xuenchen

 

It's not so much about honesty as it is legitimacy and veracity my friend.

I was at Publix today where shopping is always a pleasure, where I happened to spy a member of the Surfside Town Council (the little incorporated town in North Miami Beach I live and the Publix is in) engaged in coversation with a few Orthodox Jewish Leaders in the community regarding a controversy over a recently errected temple for one of the Jewish subsects, that was erected in violation of the zoning laws where it was placed.

The town's mayor and majority vote of the City Council is sueing the Temple for 1,000,000.00 for the violation.

So they were discussing about how to get the Mayor recalled, and 3 of the council members who voted for the lawsuit.

I decided that conversation was more interesting than deciding which batch of green onions to select and waded in.

I said look here is the problem, if the Temple's not zoned, the Temples not zoned, if you put out a petition to recall these people and get a special ballot well, to a non Jew like me it looks like you as Jews are dictating the politics of the town, including where things can be built or not, specifically as they pertain to Jews.

I said are you guys nuts, and you wonder why people talk about Jewish conspiracies, you make yourselves look bad when you do it that way.

It's much better to put on the ballot a change of zoning, where you will still have enough clout as a demographic to get the zoning law changed, you get what you want, but you get what you want with out making it look like it's all about you and nothing but you.

The whole town gets to vote, there is a Jewish majority, so you will win the vote, and it doesn't make you look unseemly.

You could see the little light bulbs going off in their minds as they realized I was right.

Recalling the politicians that voted against them for violating the zoning laws, is petty and self serving, and dishonest to the extreme, legally getting the zoning changed is legitmate and honest as the day is long.

It's about whether ultimately you want to be seen as credible and legitimate, honest and trustworthy, or you just want to be that person who wants to win at any and all costs, and the only virtue you only then really have is wanting to win at all costs.

Let me put it to you this way, the Government and the Powers that Be are going to do everything in their power to make people who oppose them not seem credible, doing anything that gives them ammunition in that regard?

Not a good idea.

That's my two cents.

Thanks my friend.

as usual, Your 2-cents is always worth a hundred bucks!

Definitely a classic example of a panic attack due to:

1. extreme maniacal persecution complex

2. Incessant paranoia

3. schizophrenic frenzy

but don't forget, they always must do things the hard way!

a perfect excuse for a sympathetic cause and to climb a higher mountain.

the end result will become a bigger prize that way!

Did you by chance hear if they planned on using a sock puppet army to "get the signatures"?

was the original property in foreclosure?

Wow scope some of this stuff.

Do You Think Social Media Fueled the Middle East Revolutions?

Obviously, in order for millions of people to risk their lives, they need to be horribly oppressed and defiant. But many of the tools of the Internet are what spread the word, not only inside the countries, cell phones and their cameras were ubiquitous, but to supporters and world leaders outside of the country. The fatal shooting of an Iranian woman, Neda Agha Soltan, in Iran, would, in an earlier age, have been covered up and forgotten. Instead, someone posted the killing and the aftermath on YouTube. She became the catalyst for the opposition and an example of the brutality of the Mullahs. In Egypt, Wael Ghonim, a Google executive who became a leader in the anti-government movement, told "60 Minutes" this exact thing: "Without Facebook, without Twitter, without Google, without YouTube, this would have never happened." Of course, you don't have to believe me. All you have to do is look at the reactions of the tyrants overseeing these countries and what they tried to do to desperately hold on to their power. Much like earlier despots, who would close the newspaper and take over the televisions to control the masses, the leaders went after the media that people were using to coordinate and spread information. That's why they shut down the Internet and cell phone transmissions. That seems like a damn good endorsement of the power of social media to me.

Link.

In wake of Tunisia, Egypt internet fueled uprisings, Durbin urges Facebook to protect human rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged social-networking company Facebook to take "immediate and tangible steps" to protect the human rights of democracy and human rights activists who use the firm's service. Writing to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Durbin said: "Recent events in Egypt and Tunisia have again highlighted the significant costs and benefits of social networking technology like Facebook to democracy and human rights activists. As millions of people around the world use Facebook to exercise their freedom of expression, I am concerned that the company does not have adequate safeguards in place to protect human rights and avoid being exploited by repressive governments." While Facebook has facilitated efforts by activists to organize demonstrations and publicize human-rights abuses, the Egyptian and Tunisian governments have reportedly used Facebook to monitor activists. Durbin highlighted his concern that Facebook does not allow activists to use pseudonyms.

Link.

Thank technology for Middle East uprising: Shirin Ebadi

Technology is increasing public awareness, which has resulted in the people of the Middle East taking to the streets to demand their rights, according to Shirin Ebadi, the winner of the Nobel Peace prize in 2003. Speaking at SOAS, the School of Oriental and African Studies, in London on February 2, Ms. Ebadi said in response to a question from euronews that the instant influence of technology makes it easy to see what happens in other regions and to follow suit. “Technology has robbed sound sleep from dictators,” she said. The disruption imposed on the internet in Egypt in the midst of protests against President Hosni Mubarak was a way of disrupting connectivity between the people, she added, and was reminiscent of similar actions by Iranian authorities after the June 2009 disputed presidential election that brought the largest crowds to Iran’s streets since the revolution in 1979.

Link.

There are quite a few people who see that the internet played a major role in what is happening in the Middle East right now.

reply to post by poet1b


Even if Cold Fusion worked and could power cars, generators tomorrow, we would still need to crack Oil.
Plastics, Roads, Chemicals, Pharmacuticals the list is almost endless.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Wow, I haven't been able to post on this thread in about 8 or so pages and it looks like what I personally dislike most about threads, is that yours, unfortunately looked like it had turned into an Amtrak weekend...

However, from the looks of it now, I'm glad it has gotten somewhat back to the subject matter in which was brought up in the first place...


The very simple explanation, as to why the question is being brought up, regarding numerous mainstream media outlets asking, "did the social networking sites/internet play a part in the uprisings." not verbatim of course, but the gist of it, is simply this...

It was a question to what was in plain sight of the power of social networking/internet has over the minds and opinions of people...

They... TPTB, or whomever you want to attribute who started all of this, or whomever would have the greatest interest in acquiring control over the Middle East could have been testing grounds, or more likely putting into action what has been tested now to use, for controlling the minds over public opinion...

This was also as I see it a test of a new form of sociological and psychological manipulation via our wonderful networking sites...

P.S.

Oh and Proto... You have a Publix... and I am jealous... Their cakes with the butter cream frosting are ridiculously awesome!!! If you have ever had them, you should of course know, that they are delicious and the best on earth

Haha P.S. "penny on track of thread"

Lets see the rankings for public opinion jump up for "Publix" as yours and my opinion regarding "Publix" being the best supermarket in the world and just watch out for the "CEO" of "Publix" to push the public opinion further, and then pretty soon its Kroger first to go down(aka Tunisia) then onto the big fries Costco(aka Egypt) then final one with the most resources Walmart (aka Libya)...

reply to post by skeptic_al


Actually there are natural products that do everything oil does.

The main reason these after cracking products are used so widely is because if oil companies hadn't found uses for these materials, which are primarily toxic waste, then the oil companies would have to pay for their disposal.

The fact of the matter is that there are better, more environmentally useful products that could be used, but once again, the oil companies.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


I hope so.