Posted on 02/19/2011 5:21:33 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The US government is offering private intelligence companies contracts to create software to manage "fake people" on social media sites and create the illusion of consensus on controversial issues.
The contract calls for the development of "Persona Management Software" which would help the user create and manage a variety of distinct fake profiles online. The job listing was discussed in recently leaked emails from the private security firm HBGary after an attack by internet activist last week.
Click here to view the government contract (PDF)
According to the contract, the software would "protect the identity of government agencies" by employing a number of false signals to convince users that the poster is in fact a real person. A single user could manage unique background information and status updates for up to 10 fake people from a single computer.
The software enables the government to shield its identity through a number of different methods including the ability to assign unique IP addresses to each persona and the ability to make it appear as though the user is posting from other locations around the world.
Included in HBGary's leaked emails was a government proposal for the government contract. The document describes how they would 'friend' real people on Facebook as a way to convey government messages. The document reads:
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
The perfect candidate:
"Hello, I'm Bob Smith and I'd like to be your friend."
If George Bush had tried anything like this, the left and the media would be going absolutely out of their minds. Every committee chairman in the House and every committe chairman in the Senate, and the Chairmen of every one of their subcommittees, would be demanding hearings into every aspect of this. We would literally never hear the end of it.
... while real, live flesh and blood Americans will be reduced to selling their junk back and forth to each other on Craigslist.
I’ve suspected this type of thing even around here sometimes...
There are also tons of YouTube accounts that match that profile...
To the gov’t: Desperate much?
Ooooh, you are soooo right.... I couldn't agree more...
teehee
Through a different source, but tied to the DNC, I think we had very heavy and continous attacks that tried to build consensus for Repubs to support weak candidates in various elections and consensus type remarks that seriously tried to disparage our potentially strong candidates.
And it was on this forum.
Think before you believe anything.
Is that a double entendre?
: > )
The International Brotherhood of Cyberpersons.
I'm with you. I got my fill of socializing with AOL years ago. I used to host a genealogy and Civil War chat room in the evenings. That was enough for me, and it got old real fast. I'm a fairly private person. If I want to socialize with anyone, I'll call them or send them an email. This site, and a UK archaeology-related site are the only two groups that I belong to.
From now on when someone questions whether you have a “man card” it will have a whole new meaning. lol
Here is the document in question. I deal with these types of things every day and I think it is legitimate, since the original links go back to FedBizOps.
A couple of things about it though:
1) It's not a contract, but simply a "sources sought" request to research potential vendors in this kind of market.
2) It's an Air Force Mobility Command solicitation, with places of performance listed as MacDill AFB, Kabul, Afghanistan and Baghdad, Iraq. However, the end client is obvious CENTCOM, which is based at MacDill.
Consequently, I think that this is an anti-terrorist or counter-intelligence program aimed at the Middle East, considering how powerful social media is becoming as a tool for over throwing governments. The solicitation is from June 2010, and no contract has been awarded yet.
That, frankly sounds hilarious. A bunch of computers going at one another in a cyber circlejerk.
Shoot, Democrats have been creating REAL people to do that for years!
this sounds like a fraud on We the People...
“Ive suspected this type of thing even around here sometimes...”
You betcha!
Oh. I forgot about the slang, lol.
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