Posted on 03/16/2015 11:07:08 PM PDT by WhiskeyX
ST. PETERSBURG -- Last May, Tatiana N decided she wanted a higher salary than the average journalist can expect.
After responding to an advertisement in the popular HeadHunter job-search website, she became a Kremlin-paid Internet troll. Tatiana -- who, like others interviewed for this story, asked that her last name not be used -- worked out of a 2,500-square-meter warehouse in the suburbs of St. Petersburg.
The job paid 40,000 rubles a month, significantly more than the 25,000-30,000 most journalists make. But it came, she said, "with pain."
Tatiana joined a round-the-clock operation in which an army of trolls disseminated pro-Kremlin and anti-Western talking points on blogs and in the comments sections of news websites in Russia and abroad.
The operation, Internet Research, is financed through a holding company headed by President Vladimir Putin's "personal chef," Evgeny Prigozhin.
"So you write, write, write, from the point of view of anyone," Tatiana, 22, says.
"You could be [posing as] a housewife who bakes dumplings and suddenly decides: 'I have an opinion about what Putin said! And this action by Vladimir Vladimirovich saves Russia."
The roughly 400 employees work 12-hour shifts and are split into various departments. Some focus on writing up themes and assignments, others concentrate on commenting, and others work on graphics for social media.
One department is devoted entirely to maintaining blogs on Livejournal that intersperse banal posts with rough-edged pro-Kremlin propaganda.
The daily assignments -- shown in a document first published on March 11 by independent St. Petersburg newspaper My Region -- are usually drawn directly from pro-Kremlin media and go into sometimes excruciating detail about the message the bloggers and commenters are supposed to relay.
One assignment instructed trolls how to frame the February 27 assassination of opposition figure Boris Nemtsov:....
(Excerpt) Read more at rferl.org ...
Well yeah, but in America you lynch Negroes!
“Every few days, this SAME PERSON posts some article about this, usually from a known propaganda source.”
Every publication is “a known propaganda source.” There are, however, significant differences between the kinds of propaganda being disseminated by an American needlework magazine or a Ukrainian newspaper versus your typical Russian newspaper’s NAZI-like disinformation and campaigns of hate and genocide. As I have repeatedly reminded you after your trolling posts on the subject, I post articles from Russian and anti-Russian publication sources. These are articles of interest to a broad range of readers who may wish to keep themselves informed about what is and is not being published in regard to conservative issues and opponents of conservatives. Your obsession with silencing the reading and commentary on such sources pro and con only highlights your dictating what you deem and demand to be politically correct, which is a totalitarian act entirely inconsistent with confident and moral conservatism.
“Yet, it FAILS to mention the “Sophisticated Social Media Campaign” of the Right Sector’s “EuroMaidanPR” internet trolling operation that CNN was cheering, just three weeks before the Kiev coup. Or the Omidyar Network-run, Soros-financed “Tech Camp” program, that in the months leading up to the Euromaidan coup, was training Kiev internet trolls by the hundreds.”
Genuine American conservatives regard Soros and his false propaganda organizations as no less abhorrent than Goebbel’s NAZI propaganda of hate and those Russian disinformation services you champion. The overwhelmingly huge difference between the Soros and related campaigns you mention and the Russian disinformation and propaganda campaigns in their monumental disparity in funding and extent in favor of the Russian efforts. The efforts you cited are so little known and little regarded, they are scarcely visible, whereas the Russian efforts have been underway and unprecedented in the world for nearly a century now. So, it can be no wonder that the monumental Russian efforts are going to attract the huge majority of attention and articles written in the world’s media sources. It is simply unfortunate for your efforts to suppress commentary about the Russian crimes and Russian propaganda campaigns that they attract the most attention from the targets of those Russian campaigns.
“IMO, that’s just hypocrisy, and we’ve been seeing this BS from the same few ID’s for over a YEAR now.”
What’s the matter, comrade, did your commissar threaten you for failing to do more to suppress the criticism of the Russian aggressions?
“It’s the way of the world now. And we have to filter through it for ourselves.”
Yeah, consider yourself and your pro-Russian campaign of disinformation to be “filtered” for its dishonesty.
I’m not sure this is ironic, or something else, but it’s funny how some people will focus like a laser beam on “Right Sector EuroMaidanPR” propaganda (connection between the two yet unestablished), but have no trouble with beginning their posts with, “RT is tweeting.”
Here in the USA, we call them “astroturfers” and we implement them well in public and private ways:
The Secret Side of David Axelrod
By Howard Wolinsky March 14, 2008
The Astroturf Presidency
By Michelle Malkin
January 25, 2010
http://michellemalkin.com/2010/01/25/the-astroturf-presidency/
Ted Cruz calls out Obama campaign ‘astroturf’ at Defund Obamacare event
CHARLIE SPIERING, AUGUST 21, 2013
So, what’s the lifespan of a lib astroturfer on FR nowadays?
I think Obama called them truth squads.
He doesn’t pay as well.
From what I see, the pervert alliance of queers, pederasts, and the genitally mutilated, have the most well-funded and active group of mentally ill trolls on the planet.
Noting’s changed in over a century. We got Progressivism, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, Teddy Roosevelt’s Big Government, Wilson the Liar and FDR via propaganda and lies. LBJ and the Democrats were so blessed with lies that blacks believe the plantation is a paradise run by kindly caretakers who can barely keep the conservative GOP bigots at bay.
sounds a lot like the Democrat propaganda machine
the American effort precisely follows the Goebbels rules for propaganda right down the line
Once again, a certain, alleged 'conservative' proves this after he hired an open-border supporter of amnesty to head his communications and social media campaign. Just like climate change supporters do, they will vilify climate-change deniers as evil and worthy of punishment.
Thank God the Fifth Establishment is remaining vigilant in exposing these La Razan-supporting human resource exploiting conductors of the Cheap Labor Express.
Soon, unfortunately, many of us Freepers will 'no tiene un trabajo'.
Tatiana joined a round-the-clock operation in which an army of trolls disseminated pro-Kremlin and anti-Western talking points on blogs and in the comments sections of news websites in Russia and abroad... he roughly 400 employees work 12-hour shifts and are split into various departments. Some focus on writing up themes and assignments, others concentrate on commenting, and others work on graphics for social media.I wonder what her FR nick is?
we have the same in the US.
it’s referred to as the drive-by media or the MSM
i’m serious... how else could a station stay on the air without any ratings *cough* msnbc *cough*. it’s all a front for the progressive left and their propaganda.
Filter things for ourselves? Everything you say is pro Russian, you defend them no matter what. Are you paid for this, or do you do it for free?
“It’s the way of the world now. And we have to filter through it for ourselves.”
Yes, and it’s also very important to remember that trolls aren’t there just to influence opinion. They also exist to demoralize their opposition.
Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation
1. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Regardless of what you know, don’t discuss it — especially if you are a public figure, news anchor, etc. If it’s not reported, it didn’t happen, and you never have to deal with the issues.
2. Become incredulous and indignant. Avoid discussing key issues and instead focus on side issues which can be used show the topic as being critical of some otherwise sacrosanct group or theme. This is also known as the ‘How dare you!’ gambit.
3. Create rumor mongers. Avoid discussing issues by describing all charges, regardless of venue or evidence, as mere rumors and wild accusations. Other derogatory terms mutually exclusive of truth may work as well. This method which works especially well with a silent press, because the only way the public can learn of the facts are through such ‘arguable rumors’. If you can associate the material with the Internet, use this fact to certify it a ‘wild rumor’ from a ‘bunch of kids on the Internet’ which can have no basis in fact.
4. Use a straw man. Find or create a seeming element of your opponent’s argument which you can easily knock down to make yourself look good and the opponent to look bad. Either make up an issue you may safely imply exists based on your interpretation of the opponent/opponent arguments/situation, or select the weakest aspect of the weakest charges. Amplify their significance and destroy them in a way which appears to debunk all the charges, real and fabricated alike, while actually avoiding discussion of the real issues.
5. Sidetrack opponents with name calling and ridicule. This is also known as the primary ‘attack the messenger’ ploy, though other methods qualify as variants of that approach. Associate opponents with unpopular titles such as ‘kooks’, ‘right-wing’, ‘liberal’, ‘left-wing’, ‘terrorists’, ‘conspiracy buffs’, ‘radicals’, ‘militia’, ‘racists’, ‘religious fanatics’, ‘sexual deviates’, and so forth. This makes others shrink from support out of fear of gaining the same label, and you avoid dealing with issues.
6. Hit and Run. In any public forum, make a brief attack of your opponent or the opponent position and then scamper off before an answer can be fielded, or simply ignore any answer. This works extremely well in Internet and letters-to-the-editor environments where a steady stream of new identities can be called upon without having to explain criticism, reasoning — simply make an accusation or other attack, never discussing issues, and never answering any subsequent response, for that would dignify the opponent’s viewpoint.
7. Question motives. Twist or amplify any fact which could be taken to imply that the opponent operates out of a hidden personal agenda or other bias. This avoids discussing issues and forces the accuser on the defensive.
8. Invoke authority. Claim for yourself or associate yourself with authority and present your argument with enough ‘jargon’ and ‘minutia’ to illustrate you are ‘one who knows’, and simply say it isn’t so without discussing issues or demonstrating concretely why or citing sources.
9. Play Dumb. No matter what evidence or logical argument is offered, avoid discussing issues except with denials they have any credibility, make any sense, provide any proof, contain or make a point, have logic, or support a conclusion. Mix well for maximum effect.
10. Associate opponent charges with old news. A derivative of the straw man — usually, in any large-scale matter of high visibility, someone will make charges early on which can be or were already easily dealt with - a kind of investment for the future should the matter not be so easily contained.) Where it can be foreseen, have your own side raise a straw man issue and have it dealt with early on as part of the initial contingency plans. Subsequent charges, regardless of validity or new ground uncovered, can usually then be associated with the original charge and dismissed as simply being a rehash without need to address current issues — so much the better where the opponent is or was involved with the original source.
11. Establish and rely upon fall-back positions. Using a minor matter or element of the facts, take the ‘high road’ and ‘confess’ with candor that some innocent mistake, in hindsight, was made — but that opponents have seized on the opportunity to blow it all out of proportion and imply greater criminalities which, ‘just isn’t so.’ Others can reinforce this on your behalf, later, and even publicly ‘call for an end to the nonsense’ because you have already ‘done the right thing.’ Done properly, this can garner sympathy and respect for ‘coming clean’ and ‘owning up’ to your mistakes without addressing more serious issues.
12. Enigmas have no solution. Drawing upon the overall umbrella of events surrounding the crime and the multitude of players and events, paint the entire affair as too complex to solve. This causes those otherwise following the matter to begin to lose interest more quickly without having to address the actual issues.
13. Alice in Wonderland Logic. Avoid discussion of the issues by reasoning backwards or with an apparent deductive logic which forbears any actual material fact.
14. Demand complete solutions. Avoid the issues by requiring opponents to solve the crime at hand completely, a ploy which works best with issues qualifying for rule 10.
15. Fit the facts to alternate conclusions. This requires creative thinking unless the crime was planned with contingency conclusions in place.
16. Vanish evidence and witnesses. If it does not exist, it is not fact, and you won’t have to address the issue.
17. Change the subject. Usually in connection with one of the other ploys listed here, find a way to side-track the discussion with abrasive or controversial comments in hopes of turning attention to a new, more manageable topic. This works especially well with companions who can ‘argue’ with you over the new topic and polarize the discussion arena in order to avoid discussing more key issues.
18. Emotionalize, Antagonize, and Goad Opponents. If you can’t do anything else, chide and taunt your opponents and draw them into emotional responses which will tend to make them look foolish and overly motivated, and generally render their material somewhat less coherent. Not only will you avoid discussing the issues in the first instance, but even if their emotional response addresses the issue, you can further avoid the issues by then focusing on how ‘sensitive they are to criticism.’
19. Ignore proof presented, demand impossible proofs. This is perhaps a variant of the ‘play dumb’ rule. Regardless of what material may be presented by an opponent in public forums, claim the material irrelevant and demand proof that is impossible for the opponent to come by (it may exist, but not be at his disposal, or it may be something which is known to be safely destroyed or withheld, such as a murder weapon.) In order to completely avoid discussing issues, it may be required that you to categorically deny and be critical of media or books as valid sources, deny that witnesses are acceptable, or even deny that statements made by government or other authorities have any meaning or relevance.
20. False evidence. Whenever possible, introduce new facts or clues designed and manufactured to conflict with opponent presentations — as useful tools to neutralize sensitive issues or impede resolution. This works best when the crime was designed with contingencies for the purpose, and the facts cannot be easily separated from the fabrications.
21. Call a Grand Jury, special Prosecutor, or other empowered investigative body. Subvert the (process) to your benefit and effectively neutralize all sensitive issues without open discussion. Once convened, the evidence and testimony are required to be secret when properly handled. For instance, if you own the prosecuting attorney, it can insure a Grand Jury hears no useful evidence and that the evidence is sealed and unavailable to subsequent investigators. Once a favorable verdict is achieved, the matter can be considered officially closed. Usually, this technique is applied to find the guilty innocent, but it can also be used to obtain charges when seeking to frame a victim.
22. Manufacture a new truth. Create your own expert(s), group(s), author(s), leader(s) or influence existing ones willing to forge new ground via scientific, investigative, or social research or testimony which concludes favorably. In this way, if you must actually address issues, you can do so authoritatively.
23. Create bigger distractions. If the above does not seem to be working to distract from sensitive issues, or to prevent unwanted media coverage of unstoppable events such as trials, create bigger news stories (or treat them as such) to distract the multitudes.
24. Silence critics. If the above methods do not prevail, consider removing opponents from circulation by some definitive solution so that the need to address issues is removed entirely. This can be by their death, arrest and detention, blackmail or destruction of theircharacter by release of blackmail information, or merely by destroying them financially, emotionally, or severely damaging their health.
25. Vanish. If you are a key holder of secrets or otherwise overly illuminated and you think the heat is getting too hot, to avoid the issues, vacate the kitchen. .
“Right Sector’s “EuroMaidanPR” internet trolling operation”
“the Kiev coup”
“Omidyar Network-run, Soros-financed “Tech Camp” program”
“the Euromaidan coup”
“Kiev internet trolls”
???
Lost me with all that... sounds like something out of a bizarre sci-fi movie.
ROTFL! I had joked about this very thing not two years ago!
Mika does the same thing for MSNBC.
Excellent list.
Have you noticed how tcrlaf is changing the subject away from the Internet Trolls in Russia to concentrate on the Internet Trolls in the United States and anywhere else in the world but Russia and St. Petersburg?
Which of the disinformation techniques do you think he has employed in doing so?
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