EXPOSED: US Spy Operation Manipulates Social Networking Sites

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.

A Californian corporation has been awarded a contract with United States Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US armed operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, to develop what is described as an "online persona management service" that will allow one US serviceman or woman to control up to 10 separate identities based all over the world.

The project has been likened by web experts to China's attempts to control and restrict free speech on the internet. Critics are likely to complain that it will allow the US military to create a false consensus in online conversations, crowd out unwelcome opinions and smother commentaries or reports that do not correspond with its own objectives.

The discovery that the US military is developing false online personalities – known to users of social media as "sock puppets" – could also encourage other governments, private companies and non-government organisations to do the same.

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Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it turns out you may have fake facebook friends that are really government alias' that spy on you. I'm willing to bet that unknown hot "girl" that wants you to accept "her" friend request on facebook is part of this project sock puppet program!

This is immoral and shameless. Once again, absolute power corrupts, absolutely.

Yeppers, seen it coming for a while now...

I dumped my facebook once goldman sachs decided to invest 500 million into facebook... But from the sound of the article, it would even effect ATS, just massive amounts of trolls and dis-info agents..

We really are living in the Orwellian Nightmare known as 1984...

Just remember, the power is in the proles!

I'm willing to bet that unknown hot "girl" that wants you to accept "her" friend request on facebook is part of this project sock puppet program!

Unlikely, unless your girlfriend is on an Arabic or Farsi speaking version.

From your source:

Centcom spokesman Commander Bill Speaks said: "The technology supports classified blogging activities on foreign-language websites to enable Centcom to counter violent extremist and enemy propaganda outside the US."

He said none of the interventions would be in English, as it would be unlawful to "address US audiences" with such technology, and any English-language use of social media by Centcom was always clearly attributed. The languages in which the interventions are conducted include Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and Pashto.

reply to post by v1rtu0s0


Why am I not surprised yet this has been going on for quite some time I suspect.

reply to post by amcdermott20


They didn't exactly come out and say it, but I'm drawing my own conclusions which aren't a stretch given their track record...

Originally posted by v1rtu0s0
reply to post by amcdermott20

 

They didn't exactly come out and say it, but I'm drawing my own conclusions which aren't a stretch given their track record...

Haha, yeah I'm not putting lying past the government. Obviously.
Just pointing out that your source says we're safe here in the good ol' USA.

Surely that is against the T&Cs of Facebook, creating fictional accounts?

Is it just me or have the US Goverment become completely freaking paranoid!

I guess this means my fake persona has fake friends