Do "Dis-Info" agents really exist? If you are one, come here. I'd love to know what it's like.

So we've all heard the alleged rumors of "Dis-Info" agents. Folks hired by the government to mislead the conversation, to distract people from the truth. But do they really exist, or are they just a myth? Is it just trolling, no real agenda other than self amusement? A lot of the time, I feel like accusations of "Dis-Info" are without merit, but I'm willing to at least consider the issue that there might be someone manipulating public opinion.

The Chinese have the 50 cent party, which posts pro-government propaganda and opinions in exchange for the equivalent of about 50 cents per post. They can change the appearance of how public opinion looks, and just derail conversations.

So, is there any American equivalent to this? If you guys do exist, please, feel free to post in this thread. If you're uncomfortable posting, PM me. I won't rat you out, out of common courtesy. I'm just curious about this element of ATS lore. We've all heard of them, but are they real? You tell me.

I ain't judging. I'm completely neutral here, like Jerry Springer. No cheap "Geraldo" attacks.

Let's have a level headed discussion. There's a possibility this might end in paranoia, but let's account for that before it begins and just keep things civil.

reply to post by Grifter42

Where do you think China got the idea? LOL.

I've never figured out why this is so hard for some folks to accept. Considering the other antics our government has pulled. Dis-info agents would be at the high end of the spectrum for believability.

The Matrix said it quite well, how some people are so dependent on the system, they they do almost anything to protect it. The interesting psychology about dis-information agents is, they rely on the fear of going against popular opinion and they seed ideas in the populace. The next thing you know, ignorant masses parrot back things they've never investigated themselves and taking all their information from a blurb they saw or a conversation they heard, REALLY really put a lot of energy into backing some silly lies. Then when shown the proof of the truth or as close as we can get it, they act embarrassed or withdraw but rarely are they then willing to let the truth in because they feel shamed. It also doesn't take long for those people to "forget" all about your explanation the next day, like the day before was a damned dream. I've seen it so many times it's uncanny.

What's more fun is when they base their trump card on "he's a SCIENTIST! You don't know better than him..." like that ends the discussion. Or "He's a cop, he would KNOW the laws..." and of course the best one is, "It was in the paper/on the news!"

We live in a spun world and there's not much you can do to wake those who are dependent on the Matrix for their perceived luxuries.

Finding honorless American people that would betray their people for money from the government is probably very easy and ends up quite cheap compared to other methods of spying and mass control.

The government would be stupid to not have them.

Anyone that denies the possibility of dis-info agents are either agents themselves or oblivious to how the world works by now.

Of course they exist here. Actually, it's not entirely a secret either. I believe the media had run some extensive stories leading up to the 2012 election about both parties "exploiting social media" with people being used to post "corrections" to untrue things said about either one. (uh-huh... and bombs aren't bombs. It's simply a way of relocating explosives in their own handy carrying case with kinetic energy.)

I think whenever politics get hot and wild (well.. like now for instance) it's when people actually on political staffs/payroll venture out to 'help the cause', for whatever it is at that moment.

I just naturally expect it and ignore the ones that have that vibe about them. Not just here, but anywhere on the net.

reply to post by Grifter42


Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media

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.

Pretty sure that's a yes. Article from 3-27-11.

In the conspiracy topic, online 'shills' or 'dis-info' agents, are made out to look like the MIB.

In the topic of business and the market place, then exact same tool and desired effects are rolled into business solution services that are nothing like the MIB. They are just another office trying to make another office money, for a cut.

Brand.com is the #1 Rated Online Reputation Management Firm. Thousands of people and businesses from 100+ countries around the world use our Brand Command Center every day. We've been featured in over 600 leading publications globally including: Bloomberg, Mashable, and The Huffington Post. We've assembled a world–class team of engineers, PR experts, journalists, ORM thought leaders, and an award–winning operations team here in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Our patent-pending technology allows you to monitor, manage, and protect your name in Google, Yahoo, and Bing. The Internet is the new first impression. Try Brand.com today and gain control over your online reputation.

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In the world of business; If you tell someone that people are spreading lies on the internet, twisting the truth and it is hurting your image, they pass you a card and say "my guys are better, give them a call"

In the world of conspiracies; If you tell someone the exact same thing they tell you to go grab your tinfoil hat and stop being ignorant.

reply to post by Bassago


So do we have anyone here who is, or has first hand experience with dis info agents?

I mean, this government shutdown, I expect some are furloughed. Come talk with us about how it's a drag. I sympathize, I know people at NASA on furlough. Come, talk. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's an open dialogue. We've had several people claiming they definitely exist, yet we've not seen any of them in here that we know of.

Now, if we could get a dis-info agent in here to discuss the matter of it, it'd benefit the conversation. I'm all ears. Perhaps the tone has gotten a bit heated. Let's keep it frosty, and civil. We've heard one side, now let's hear your side if you're out there.

theMediator
Finding honorless American people that would betray their people for money from the government is probably very easy and ends up quite cheap compared to other methods of spying and mass control.

Yep,
It's called entitlements.

reply to post by Grifter42


I've been a long time lurker.

I've seen quite a few topics that provide no quality information other than what seems to be a mission to rile people up.

I've also seen quite a few replies to threads that derail completely and those same posters consistently do that in various topics. Also those same posters completely ignore replies or answer in ways that again derail thought processes.

Whether or not they are paid disinfo agents or just propaganda laden citizen cheerleaders is something I'm not sure of.

I think the best idea is to take everything with a grain of salt, regardless of who is posting. This is an internet forum and everyone here is fake at least on some level.

I'm afraid this may be proof there aren't any dis-info agents, at least not here. Alas.

Grifter42
So do we have anyone here who is, or has first hand experience with dis info agents?

the request, however genuine is comical. I imagine any dis-info agent piping up is like the guy at Jack In The Box who wiped your burger patty through his swampy buns before serving it to you saying "Yeah, sure I gave you food poisoning. What would you like to talk about?"

I'm sure it's against the rules of the game to disclose unless you're not planning on doing it anymore.

reply to post by aptrgangr


Oh, ATS being what it is, I suspect sooner or later someone will come around and "confess" to being a dis-info agent, and it'll be "Proooof!!!11!". Just wait, you'll see.

About the closest thing I ever saw, and it wasn't close, was a short-lived program about 10 years back run out of SOCOM that had former operators participate on various forums to see if they could identify posters as matching certain people IRL, and secondarily to keep an eye out for possibly real threats. The guys did it on a volunteer basis, and the whole thing was run on the cheap with something like 3 staff members part-time out at MacDill. What's funny is that they got more useful info that way than a lot of high dollar projects trying to do the same thing, so the program was, of course, terminated.

reply to post by Grifter42


From your fuhrer barack hussein Obama,
www.maxkeiser.com... -propaganda-is-now-legal-in-the-u-s/

On 12/29/12, President Obama signed HR 4310, the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. Section 1078 (thomas.loc. gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.4310 of the bill authorizes the use of propaganda inside the US, which had previously been banned since 1948 when the Smith-Mundt Act was passed.
Read more at www.maxkeiser.com...

Long hours, really good pay, and they send all those preprogramed hollywood sex toys to us on our days off to do as we will. You know, like, Tila Tequila, Scarlett Johansson, etc

Plus on major holidays we get to hang out with aliens at the area 52 BBQ dinner and dance.

Once upon a day here on ats we'd have the odd skeptic who'd chime in with there reason for disbelief of whatever subject, and it worked well, it kept a healthy balance.
But now! I think about 50% of the threads are created by professional skeptics, and they're armed to the teeth with tactics on how to control a thread.

So yes. This place is riddled with them. But dont worry, they NEED us, without us they'll be unemployed!

boncho
Plus on major holidays we get to hang out with aliens at the area 52 BBQ dinner and dance.

I'll put you on my dance card, ya BBQ sauce-covered hunk...

reply to post by boncho

Sshhhhh! Boncho! You weren't supposed to say anything about Scarlett!

reply to post by silenteagle


What makes you think Obama has any more control than any other president since '63? If the powers that be have an agenda, they'll enact it. The president hasn't held any real power in a long time. And confirm deny on the Area 51 bake sale, Boncho?

I don't know... I guess it is a weird question to ask in earnest, but maybe there's someone out there with some genuine knowledge on it. With the current level of ridicule, one could say the entire truth and it would still be ambiguous as to whether or not it was just another faker or someone having a laugh at it.

reply to post by boncho

Plus on major holidays we get to hang out with aliens at the area 52 BBQ dinner and dance.

Until they get all wasted and bring out the probes that is.