US government wages sock puppet war against its own citizens

reply to post by arbitrarygeneraiist


I know a lot of people love the supposed anonymity of the Internet but it really isn't so anonymous if the government or a skilled hacker wants to really figure out who you are.

Personally I am proud of my Internet behavior and if my real name was as cool as Protoplasmic Traveler on a site full of catchy screen names I would probably use it.

I think for some though for example a PHD in Rocket Science who has spent untold years and untold thousands of dollars to educate himself who honestly comes on the Internet and discloses he is a rocket scientist only to have some anonymous loud mouth proclaim him a fraud, it does give them pause, as to what to give and share and be bothered with and what not too.

A lot of people lack self respect, you practically have to lack self respect to survive in our post 9-11 Homeland Security poke, prod, x-ray and suspect always society.

To work for substandard wages for a corporation that will lay you off at the drop of a hat to give your job to someone in China.

The Internet can be a place where we all try to help one another to the highest common denominator, or to drag each other down to the lowest possible common denominator.

Mobs sometimes sweep very decent people up into them and encourage them to do some very indecent things.

I once saw a man falsely accused of rape beaten to death by a fast forming mob within a matter of minutes, none of them were what you would think of murderers, most thought they were doing the right thing by apprehending what they thought was a dangerous criminal, yet they all participated in an innocent man's murder.

The woman who had shouted the accusation turned out to be his wife, and she had only shouted the accusation in desperation to try to stop him from going out and buying crack coc aine and going on a binge.

Every one meant well, no one did well.

The Internet has mobs too, and it's just as easy for otherwise decent people seeking attention and validation and recognition to get caught up in them.

Is there a danger in the government creating an artificial internet mob using emotion as its main tool?

Yes I really do think there is.

The question is do we want to ascribe to the lowest possible common denominator or the highest.

One you really can only make excuses for, the other, you can be excited and proud about.

At least in my humble opinion anyway.

Thanks for sharing.

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


Absolutely not. Im not playing this game with you. But feel free to not be lazy and prove it wrong on your own by demonstrating that there was not.

I apologize if someone has already inquired about this, but while I was reading this thread a question popped into my mind:

Can the Mods or Admins on ATS tell us if IP addresses registered to government agencies are posting on this site? It sure would be interesting to know what agencies are posting, what they are saying, and if they are providing truth, misinformation, or utter disinformation.

Originally posted by Fury1984
I apologize if someone has already inquired about this, but while I was reading this thread a question popped into my mind:

Can the Mods or Admins on ATS tell us if IP addresses registered to government agencies are posting on this site? It sure would be interesting to know what agencies are posting, what they are saying, and if they are providing truth, misinformation, or utter disinformation.

I think they can tell some IP addresses as belonging to certain regions and or agencies, but the HB Gary software manufactures random proxy IP addresses for each persona it creates, in essence masking or hiding the real originating IP which might actually be appearing as dozens of IPS for dozens of sock puppet personas it's running and managing.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for joining in.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Unfortunately that is very true, which is why my posts exist within the very defined context that something posted online wouldn't transfer over to the real world with any kind of harsh consequences or disrepair the one's life. Honestly, nothing should even be posted online if there is a legitimate threat being made against the poster unless the information being posted is truly revolutionary and needs to be made public.

I don't really think that the common forum-goer even gives much thought to the notion that if they abide by forum rules and post something of substance that someone from the government or military will come to their residence and silence them. If such a thing became commonplace, then threads... no, forums like ATS wouldn't even exist. So people will know when that time comes.

Imo, a rocket scientist who fears being called a fraud just shows to me that the scientist doesn't really believe in the subject matter he or she is wanting to make public. And if a person doesn't believe what they're saying, then how are they supposed to expect someone else to believe them? Perhaps in that regard the scientist is a fraud to science for not believing in his or her own subject matter, and is a fraud to science for allowing a little bit of heckling and being called a fraud by some people to cause him/her to withdraw.

But I also understand that life isn't that simple.

Oh yea ever since most of the ol build stuff jobs got sent over seas, and are still going over seas, the business in middle management and good ol jobs doing propaganda for powerful interests has boomed. And so there is a war for the minds of the average citizens, though what everybody forgets or they have been feed mostly trough movies is, that government is some big all encompassing entity who is everywhere and always knows best and everything.

But as anybody can see that is just not the case. Government is just a bunch of interests and groups all vying for there particular interest, and the battle field is the populous minds, by all types of means and ways, the internet is but a newer thing to influence people compared to others such as the TV or newspaper or whatever else. And so you can say that there is always a war for your minds, though it's not all bad, or doom and gloom, but it definitely is not all good and cake for everyone, and some have just bad intentions, and some have good intentions that will lead to a certain road, to a place were things will heat up and get really crazy.

The funny thing is no matter the outcome of some of these little cyber wars for peoples minds, once it's over all those people playing persona's online for powerful interests will be out of a job, and they will all be back to square one, and possibly a liability, either way they will have no more use. Oh it's a big mess and it's all interconnected in some ways and by keeping on and perpetrating it, they are all just digging themselves deeper into a hole they might one day not be able to get out of.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive"

In other words, they are not only intentionally attacking Americans for not buying the official story, they are also deceiving them by masking their identity? Sounds about right.

reply to post by galadofwarthethird


The age old quest to win hearts and minds certainly has entered a new age where the Internet is concerned, and average Americans seeing their fortunes and quality of life and prospects for the future decline steadily over decades sure do need a lot of explaining too.

I sure have seen some amazing changes in our culture and way of life since the 70's.

Much of it the only good explanations for are ones that show that the Government and the Corporations don't really serve us.

It's not that younger people are less intelligent, they just haven't experienced the same long slide for themselves.

It's a lot easier explaining it all away to some than it is to others, and to some it's impossible to explain it away too, and as those numbers grow, the war for the hearts and minds of the confused and undecided is sure to heat up and heat up some more.

The government is hedging it's bets.

Me I promised to always type with one hand tied behind my back...go figure!

Found this on Cubic corporations website.

jobs.cubic.com... 358

.:: Electronic Warfare Planner 20S-C079-11

Company: Cubic Applications, Inc. Required Education: Bachelor Degree
Location: Tampa, Florida Required Experience: Experienced
Contact: Eugene Frazier Grade: 6420
Employee Type: Full Time Bid opened: 03/10/2011
Job Category: Others Job Type: Public



.:: Essential Job Duties:
Develops Electronic Warfare (EW) objectives and synchronizes the efforts of EW with computer network operations (CNO), military deception (MILDEC), operations security (OPSEC), and psychological operations (PSYOP) in support of political and military objectives in the CENTCOM AOR. As member of a theater-strategic operations synchronization team, evaluates and coordinates implementation of USCENTCOM strategies, plans and policies in support of Overseas Contingency Operations. Drafts EW plans and orders; supervises the execution and assessment of EW plans, and acts as the Division representative in presenting those plans to the commander, Joint Staff, and DoD for approval. Position contingent on task order award.

.:: Mental/Physical Requirements:
Must be able to travel unassisted to US and foreign locations. Must be able to move, carry, and operate personal computer equipment and related material. Position is contingent on contract award. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

.:: Education/Experience Requirements:
Qualified EWO, required; AF-AFEWOTS; USN--F-18G fixed-wing; MC-EA-6B fixed wing only. Other EWOs not preferred. OSD/Joint Staff/CENTCOM AOR experience preferred. Bachelor's degree required; must be steeped in MDMP and mission planning; relevant operational staff/COCOM experience preferred.

Back to Jobs listing | Apply with a posted resume

So there running it out of Tampa, Florida.

Originally posted by Fury1984
In other words, they are not only intentionally attacking Americans for not buying the official story, they are also deceiving them by masking their identity? Sounds about right.

edit on 4/22/2011 by Fury1984 because: Replied to wrong person.

That's prety much the size of it.

It goes pretty much like this "Proto I am usually a big fan of your work, and I was born a poor black child in Mississippi too, who's dog ran away, and also worked as a dishwasher just like you, and also dabbled in the occult just like you, and also had plastic surgery just like you, while living in a tree house just like you, powered by green energy just like you, but on this one I really have to disagree"

None of what they said was true, they aren't really a fan, it's to flatter your ego, they aren't really from the same place that's to gain common ground, they really haven't had the same troubles or career, they want to disarm you and make you think they are very much like you, and they don't really share your same ideals or principles, but want you to believe that they do, so that they can hide who they really are and the very obvious agenda that they have, that would become even more obvious if they were honest about who they are.

It's all about psycology and playing on emotions to make every attempt to manipulate and confuse and then try to either get you to agree, or at least plant the seed and if all else fails to then try to discredit you by in part pretending to be very much like you but having made a very different decision in regards to that one issue with an underlying message of good people like you would think like this, but your a bad person because you don't.

There is nothing honest about that at all.

The ends simply don't justify the means.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

Is there a danger in the government creating an artificial internet mob using emotion as its main tool? Yes I really do think there is. The question is do we want to ascribe to the lowest possible common denominator or the highest.

Well I believe what we are currently witnessing is the importance of social media in forming the overall public opinion. It is absolutely a war and it will be won only by the side with the fastest teams, software and equipment. In a cyber world where whole populations can be persuaded, the stakes are very high indeed.

Egypt's Uprising: Tracking the Social Media Factor - A Dubai-based news and information company analyzed social media revolving around the Egypt uprising. They discovered a new conversation rising, growing larger and asking Arab people, "who are we and what will we be in the future?"

www.pbs.org...

We know how emotionally driven some the topics are here and how easy it is to get caught up in them. The external content below is something we all know about already but I felt it was pertinent to this post. They are using sock puppets to combat online extremism. The problem is, we don't know what they deem to be extremism and what happens when the extremist is identified? There are a lot of questions that arise from these tactics.

US Centcom targets online violent propaganda A new online initiative from US Central Command seeks to counter terrorist rhetoric in multiple languages. Not only does the department of state employ paid commenters, but a new $2.75 million initiative led by US Central Command would allow for the creation of sock puppets in order to combat online extremism.

english.aljazeera.net...

The most frightening part of the whole thing for me is that soon enough we will be led into believing something that has nothing to do with what we really wanted to begin with. It will get harder to discern the facts of the matters as sources are questioned and discredited at rapid rates. Stories and facts are altered and the first casualty of our information wars is of course the truth.

We will begin to willingly ascribe our beliefs and opinions into a regimented agenda that will draw us further down its road and make us believe whatever the hell it wants. All of this to me seems as though it is conditioning. Conditioning where what we are told is what we believe and we tow the party line without an independent thought emerging about the matter at hand because their techniques will only get better at this, not worse. We will begin to just obey really.

Social media and the internet are making it easier and quicker than ever for information to pass through borders. Berger notes that governments need to react more quickly now because social media is influencing public opinion. For example, Facebook causes have become an important tool for expressing opinions on policy issues.

www.atlantic-community.org...

With their techniques and protocols becoming sharper and the funding and equipment that will be the very best we can only imagine what that beast looks like. Standing on the very precipice of being launched into the information super highway, it gazes down into the rivers and streams of information rushing blindly by in all directions. It very much knows how to deal with this, because it has a job to do and that job is to influence the data toward its agenda. It will be unmerciful in its endeavor and it will win. Losing is not an option for this type of program. It has won before it began really.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


When the government starts "trolling", you know you have a problem

Doesnt surprise me though.

Makes me feel like I"ve been talking to a brick wall sometimes

reply to post by JBA2848


Great find, I wonder what kind of person applies for a job as developer of electronic warfare?

Thanks for all the excellent research and contributions you have been making to the thread.

Much appreciated!

Originally posted by felonius
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

When the government starts "trolling", you know you have a problem

Doesnt surprise me though.

Makes me feel like I"ve been talking to a brick wall sometimes

We sure do, especially when you consider the last act of most governments is to loot the treasury and the only thing ours has in it is an IOU signed by the American People for 14 trillion dollars!

No wonder they need to pay people to go on the Internet and say all is well.

Get the feeling you are standing on the deck of the Titanic saying wow, cool, an Iceberg this far south!

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler

It goes pretty much like this "Proto I am usually a big fan of your work, and I was born a poor black child in Mississippi too, who's dog ran away, and also worked as a dishwasher just like you, and also dabbled in the occult just like you, and also had plastic surgery just like you, while living in a tree house just like you, powered by green energy just like you, but on this one I really have to disagree"

Im a little jealous. Lol.

They dont try to befriend me. Maybe Im not cuddly enough.

reply to post by jackflap


The truth is you don't have to keep the populace anything more than confused in order to rule over it.

People trying to sort out conflicting sources of information really aren't going to act in any resolute manner that actually threatens the government.

Luck it is said is when determination meets opportunity, denying someone luck either means denying them the opportunity or sewing the seeds of confusion.

The way that the government runs itself it definately is an opportunity rich environment for someone wanting to try to change it by being critical of it.

So it's then just about keeping people from becoming determined in that effort by keeping them confused.

I am sure you and many others have noticed how the Network News Media moves us from crisis to crisis emotional high the emotional low in rapid succession, starting to get wise to the Nuclear reactor in Japan, well we just invaded Libya, pay attention keep up, starting to get wise to Libya, oh my gosh Terry Jones is trying to have a shoot out in Dearborn Michigan with the large Muslim Community there, nothing is allowed to have a media shelf life to the point the media would have to ask real questions or deal with the real questions of the people.

So it's not just the rapid flow of point counter point, but the rapid move from one crisis and topic to the next.

And a 1 and 2 and a 1,2, 3 hit it Phil!



Edit to add: By the way for you youngsters out there this 25 year old music video features amongst others Mohmar Ghadaffi!

Some things really are timeless.

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler

It goes pretty much like this "Proto I am usually a big fan of your work, and I was born a poor black child in Mississippi too, who's dog ran away, and also worked as a dishwasher just like you, and also dabbled in the occult just like you, and also had plastic surgery just like you, while living in a tree house just like you, powered by green energy just like you, but on this one I really have to disagree"

Im a little jealous. Lol.

They dont try to befriend me. Maybe Im not cuddly enough.

I think the organizational forces behind these agendas really do in essence not only try to convince people, but actually do put a bit of effort into converting or turning popular posters and or people with a real gift of gab and an ability to write.

Many of us who are in the 'opposition' could likely have good paying jobs working for the 'dark side of the force' and they will alternate back and forth between seduction and attack in some cases.

Amazingly enough I can be bought it's just they always object to this many 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000.00 zeros.

But hey you will never get it if you don't ask for it.

Payable in Gold guys, no cash, no checks!

Oh and no gold certificates or gold plated bars, just dust!

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

I am sure you and many others have noticed how the Network News Media moves us from crisis to crisis emotional high the emotional low in rapid succession, starting to get wise to the Nuclear reactor in Japan, well we just invaded Libya, pay attention keep up, starting to get wise to Libya, oh my gosh Terry Jones is trying to have a shoot out in Dearborn Michigan with the large Muslim Community there, nothing is allowed to have a media shelf life to the point the media would have to ask real questions or deal with the real questions of the people.

You're right. As the media jumps around and we attempt to remember anything about the last horrific information that we believed was important enough to warrant more coverage we are blasted by something that makes you minimize the last one for the time being and focus on the current one that they are broadcasting for us.

It does leave you confused but there is another facet to this particular tactic as well. You realize all of these terrible things are going down because you have just been on their roller coaster ride and you assimilated what needed to be assimilated. It leaves you with a feeling that I can only describe as indifference. Indifference because you kind of feel that they know about it and everything will be taken care of.

They actually seem to be able to dose us with complacency!

reply to post by jackflap


It really is a form of conditioning and in the end most people end up relieved just to have survived another day or week, to have put a meal on the table and keep a roof over their head, and after all why wouldn't they be as record numbers of Americans can no longer do those things.

One of the other things that works for them is by concentrating all the wealth in so few hands most people just have to really focus on the daily struggle just to survive.

So the idea of going off to Washington DC to protest with a half a tank of gas and 27.42 cents in your checking account just really never gets off the ground for obvious reasons.

They didn't transfer all the jobs away just to make more money, they did it so we would all make less money.

So they are hitting us on just about every front that one could imagine, doing it deliberately and doing it with great forethought and calculation as they try to drive the world to a New World Order.

Wow those words from land of Confusion are haunting me a bit now "I won't be coming home tonight, my generation will set it right, we aren't just making promises, that we know we will never keep."

As Clint would say "Better get busy living or get busy dying"

They know us so well. I agree, and many sites exist for just such a purpose. Project Camelot seems in full effect, I surmise by pasting from Wikipedia.

"Project Camelot was a social science research project of the United States Army in 1964.[1] The goal of the project was to assess the causes of violent social rebellion and to identify the actions a government could take to prevent its own overthrow."

and

"Success in such tasks as equipping and training indigenous forces for an internal security mission, civic action, psychological warfare, or other counterinsurgency action depends on a thorough understanding of the indigenous social structure, upon the accuracy with which changes within the indigenous culture, particularly violent changes, are anticipated, and the effects of various courses of action available to the military and other agencies of government upon the indigenous process of change."

en.wikipedia.org...