Facebook's Russia problem: What we know

So do people really believe everything they see on facebook?
money.cnn.com...

Facebook has yet another major controversy from its impact on the 2016 election, and this one cuts to the heart of how it makes money.

On Wednesday, Facebook (FB, Tech30) revealed that it sold approximately $100,000 worth of ads during the presidential election cycle from inauthentic accounts and pages "likely operated out of Russia."

So now it is facebooks fault that hillary lost????

The news comes amid ongoing investigations into Russia's interference in the U.S. election. Facebook, in particular, has spent much of this year trying to crack down on the spread of fake news after being heavily criticized for the role it may have played in influencing the U.S. election.

Perhaps the actual problem is that facebook is not real in any sense of the word?
Social Media has its own niche and has changed forever the way people communicate. Are people so daft today that they believe whatever shows up on facebook?

Also why is it up to facebook to stop "russia" from purchasing ads? Now we are going to regulate Social Media?
This is so completely bizarre I really do not know what to make of it.

I have nothing to do with social media.

From what I hear, I made the right choice.

I don't know why anyone is surprised that Russia did what it could to make sure Hillary was not elected.

Of course Russia was active in discrediting Hillary. They would not be a major super power if they did not conduct themselves that way.

Even if Trump promised favors to Russia... so what? You mean one head of state supported another and hoped to do further dealings in the future?!?!? How is that bad?

a reply to: Jefferton

Hell has frozen over...I agree with you fully!

Agree with Malbosia, who is surprised, all governments will be using FB it is just that Russia "seem" to be more successful.

Why have FB come out with the news now? The time this information was useful was during the elections. Was FB forced into a post investigation from the FBI?

The real issue is the Social media themselves who seem to do little in the way of control the monster platforms they have created as it would be human intervention and hence cost money and would hurt their profits.

Russia - > Nazis - > Facebook.

Keep the train rolling...

Although I must say it is incredibly naive for anyone to think that social media in general is not used as a method of propaganda distribution by every major player on the world stage.

I am of course including Russia in that mix.

originally posted by: Jefferton
I have nothing to do with social media.

I hate to break it to you but ATS is functionally the same as Facebook.

Here we have stars and flags, on Facebook it's likes and reactions.

It's both people re-posting stories from elsewhere around the net then talking about it. Same thing.

It's no surprise bunk accounts from Russia are on there. I'd be willing to wager there's bunk accounts from most major countries that are on there too. Honestly this doesn't matter and will not lead to anything noteworthy.

a reply to: shooterbrody

No it's just confirming that Russia interfered like the IC has been saying all along.
No one is blaming Facebook. Don't be stupid.

a reply to: MALBOSIA

How naive.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: MALBOSIA

How naive.

Touche

a reply to: Jefferton

FB is where i go to get my cute dog video fix.

a reply to: Sillyolme

Interfered how? Writing some weird statuses on facebook? Anyone can write weird statuses on facebook. It don't have to be Russians doing. that.

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: Jefferton

Hell has frozen over...I agree with you fully!

I keep hearing that lately.


I'm scared.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: Jefferton

FB is where i go to get my cute dog video fix.

That's racist against cats.

a reply to: shooterbrody

Facebook didn't seem to have a problem cashing the checks..........

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
Otters, man.

Otters are where it's at.

I bet more than half of those Facebook accounts where CIA and FBI, they probably went through Russian DNS Servers. I'm sure the DNC’s computer servers where connected through a Russian DNS too.

This story only came out now because of this:

Facebook gave special counsel Robert Mueller data on Russian ads, report says

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that the social media giant had sent the former FBI director data including copies of the ads and the identity of the buyers. That report followed news that an internal Facebook investigation found it is agents of the Kremlin may have spent $100,000 on ads with "divisive messages" between June 2015 and May 2017.

Basically, Facebook was trying to get out ahead of this news -- the news that they've handed over information to the Muller investigation about fake Russian accounts running psyops on Americans.

What people don't want to admit is that "influence the election" doesn't mean hacking voting machines. You can swing an election in one direction or another by simply influencing how people think about things.

Twitter is far, far worse than Facebook in this regard.

Twitter to give analysis of Russian activity to Congress

The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Twitter plans to give Congress an analysis of Russian activity on its social media platform.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) told reporters the report from Twitter will be similar to one Facebook provided to congressional investigators on Wednesday.

This article makes reference back to original Facebook report:

The fake accounts were linked to a company called the Internet Research Agency, a "troll farm" that uses social media operations to promote Kremlin propaganda

I remember seeing a dramatic uptick in memes and fake/outlandish/distorted stories flying around on my Facebook feed from some of my more...."excitable" friends starting about 2-3 years ago. I began to see things that were horribly misrepresented, but seemed to really feed into the existing beliefs these friends of mine already had.

In the big scheme of things, it's a helluva cheap way to manipulate a population. Computer-programed accounts and troll farms cost a lot less than sending in James Bond-like spies to rig voting machines.

I tell you what "influence the election." It was all about hacking loogies, flies, seizures, ear pieces, Satan, pedo's, rape, diapers, money laundering, lies, wieners, pizza etc.

originally posted by: Jefferton
I have nothing to do with social media.

From what I hear, I made the right choice.

Ummm...dude...you just posted that comment...on a social media site...



YouSir