Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

FBI’s Russian-influence probe includes a look at far-right news sites
McClatchy Washington Bureau ^ | March 20, 2017 | BY PETER STONE AND GREG GORDON

Posted on 03/20/2017 4:01:09 PM PDT by b4its2late

WASHINGTON Federal investigators are examining whether far-right news sites played any role last year in a Russian cyber operation that dramatically widened the reach of news stories — some fictional — that favored Donald Trump’s presidential bid, two people familiar with the inquiry say.

Operatives for Russia appear to have strategically timed the computer commands, known as “bots,” to blitz social media with links to the pro-Trump stories at times when the billionaire businessman was on the defensive in his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton, these sources said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is accused by the FBI of ordering a campaign intended to influence the U.S. election. Russian President Vladimir Putin is accused by the FBI of ordering a campaign intended to influence the U.S. election. Mikhail Klimentyev AP The bots’ end products were largely millions of Twitter and Facebook posts carrying links to stories on conservative internet sites such as Breitbart News and InfoWars, as well as on the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News, the sources said. Some of the stories were false or mixed fact and fiction, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the bot attacks are part of an FBI-led investigation into a multifaceted Russian operation to influence last year’s elections.

Investigators examining the bot attacks are exploring whether the far-right news operations took any actions to assist Russia’s operatives. Their participation, however, wasn’t necessary for the bots to amplify their news through Twitter and Facebook.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article139695453.html#storylink=cpy

(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: election2016; freepers; infowars; rightnews; rt; russia; russiaprobe; russiatoday; sputniknews
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 last
To: Whenifhow; mass55th; LucyT; 2ndDivisionVet; appalachian_dweller; aragorn; Arthur Wildfire! March; ..

“- Gee, don’t investigate the newspapers and their reporters who regularly sent their articles to the Clinton campaign to get approval to publish them”

NBC Chuck Todd was the worst. Groveling, begging to help Clinton. (Wikileaks)


61 posted on 03/21/2017 8:16:52 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) since Nov 2014 (GOPe is that easy to read))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: b4its2late

Every time last year I read a pro Trump story, I had this insatiable craving for caviar. Is that weird? Also I would be doodling as I read stories on Far and look down to see that I had doodled a flowery, geometrical P U T I N. There may be something here. Maybe I never liked Trump’s speeches or what he had to say at all.


62 posted on 03/21/2017 8:20:09 AM PDT by Yaelle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: b4its2late

There were pro-Trump articles???

The media confuses blogs with news sites. But the MSM sites are really just blogs. They are always pushing their agenda.


63 posted on 03/21/2017 8:26:51 AM PDT by AppyPappy (Don't mistake your dorm political discussions with the desires of the nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gaijin
the NSA has been monitoring Michael Savage since 2004.

I wonder if that's why he's been taken off the air here in the Chicago market? Miss his show. Originally I thought he was a smug, arrogant jerk. Then I listened more and realized he was passionately right.

Damn' WLS for dumping his show in favor of repeating "Bob & Marianne" in his timeslot. Bastards.

64 posted on 03/21/2017 8:30:17 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

Go to tunein.com on the net. You can listen to anything.


65 posted on 03/21/2017 8:36:19 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation camp?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: reformedliberal

Classic Trump: he gets them to out themselves and then they deny it obsessively, saving him the hassle of a spotlight.>>> yes it looks like it is working. but it is painful and it really is like chemo for cancer patients. it kills you and if you survive you’ll be ok. this is tuff stuff.


66 posted on 03/23/2017 12:40:44 AM PDT by kvanbrunt2 (all your base are belong to us)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson