Whistleblower makes trove of new documents available to Public and Racket, showing the birth of the Censorship Industrial Complex in reaction to Brexit and Trump election in 2016
"The documents show that the group engaged in offensive operations to influence public opinion, discussing ways to promote “counter-messaging,” co-opt hashtags, dilute disfavored messaging, create sock puppet accounts, and infiltrate private invite-only groups."
So if this is considered interfering in an election when Russia does it, what is it called when they do it? "Protecting democracy?" I'm failing to see any legitimate defense they could conjure up for these activities. Though I doubt they'll be held accountable anyhow. The big election is upon us, and we are one officer-involved shooting away from a singular media focus for the next 12 months.
Incredible reporting. Does anyone believe Chris Krebs' claim that the 2020 election was the most secure in American history? Ironically he has a Substack that gets no engagement: https://intel.ks.group/
One may be forgiven to think that this effort is an Orwellian-Strangelovian mash-up that not just borders on conspiracy but crosses over to some dystopian Never-Never land. But you would be dead wrong. Terp and Buck Turgidson share a lot in common and ego is only a small part of it.
First off - please no more extended articles on UFOs as that's clearly part of the deflection process. Second, mis/dis/mal information efforts have been with us for some time as the Protocols of Zion attest. But this is different with a public-private partnership designed to promote and discredit certain individuals and narratives as our freedom fighting journos note with only one team portrayed as inviolably right - the progressive left of course to mix directions of course.
The entire Covid enterprise was and is, in part & parcel, to not just impact 2020 but to terrorize millions of people into believing the Covid-19 was the next Ebola when in reality it was a man-made virus with the IFR somewhere between a very nasty flu and swine flu. To make matters worse, the "vaccine" (how's that for mis/mal/dis information) has proven to be much worse that the disease.
So the CTIL files in addition to the Twitter files need to be widely disseminated and distilled for mass consumption. Unfortunately, AI will amplify this concerted public-private mis/mal/dis information effort and without requiring generative AI output to note all sources and % contribution to content, this is going to be an uphill battle. God help us if it's a Sisyphean endeavor.
Once again - kudos to Matt, Michael and Alex for continuing to demonstrate the absolute value and importance of real journalism.
Michael, Alex and Matt, tremendous work here... we need a bright bright light on these anti-American and unconstitutional activities. The people involved are fascists and should be viewed with disgust. Those who are citizens of America are not of right mind, they have become nothing more than political thugs working on behalf of a political party; worse their actions are deeply anti-American and unconstitutional despite the oaths they no doubt took to work for the US Government. The military and bureaucracy embrace of a program of this nature makes clear that our federal government is no longer working on behalf of the American citizen. Until we get to accountability, significant punishment, for those who engage in unconstitutional behaviors as politicians or government employees we cannot even begin to right this very bad situation. Citizens will not tolerate a government that is committed to undermining our Republic, our Constitution our Bill of Rights. Deeply troubling information...
‘Oh what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive,’ Scottish writer/polymath Sir Walter Scott, 1808
'If You cannot Baffle Them With Bullshit, Confuse Them With Committees' unattributed, possibly Tonio K, 1978
The list of acronyms, misnomers, prevarications, study groups, etc. becomes so large that most mere mortals lack the bandwidth to analyze and process this story while maintaining something resembling normal life.
And for god's sake don't confuse CISA with CIS or Congress will ask DOJ to throw you in prison.
Matt, Micheal, Bari, and others who can keep the chronology and players straight astound with their mental acuity.
This story may never achieve the traction it deserves simply because of its breathtaking complexity.
Hogwarts School of Misinformation meets the Information Justice League. I suppose this makes Sara-Jayne “SJ” Terp Wonder Woman. Zuckerberg would have to be Batman.
All these self-professed patriots who can't handle open and honest free speech (aka: political opinion) should be shackled to lamp posts with signs draped from their necks that read, "I'm a totalitarian. Feel free to throw a rotten vegetable at me."
Amazing work uncovering this information. We need a serious debate in this country about freedom information and freedom of thought. The very notion that this Country would willingly tolerate, for one second, something resembling Chinese infosec is hateful to the very idea of this Nation. Throw the bums out, each and every one!
Lumping cyber crime together with "misinformation" in the same bucket is one major problems with the people who share this mindset. For one thing, you don't have to be a "bad actor" to post something in good faith that may later turn out to be incorrect.
Another problem is the determination of "misinformation" itself--who makes the call? This ultimately points to the fact that these people, even if acting in good faith, think they have privileged insight into "truth," in other words, "I know better than you. And since I have this privileged insight, you are just needlessly confusing people and bogging down their search for the truth by cluttering up the public square with your misinformed opinions.
"The documents show that the group engaged in offensive operations to influence public opinion, discussing ways to promote “counter-messaging,” co-opt hashtags, dilute disfavored messaging, create sock puppet accounts, and infiltrate private invite-only groups."
So if this is considered interfering in an election when Russia does it, what is it called when they do it? "Protecting democracy?" I'm failing to see any legitimate defense they could conjure up for these activities. Though I doubt they'll be held accountable anyhow. The big election is upon us, and we are one officer-involved shooting away from a singular media focus for the next 12 months.
Incredible reporting. Does anyone believe Chris Krebs' claim that the 2020 election was the most secure in American history? Ironically he has a Substack that gets no engagement: https://intel.ks.group/
"Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared!"
Looks like the floodgates are opening. Keep up the good work. This may be the only way the ship gets righted.
One may be forgiven to think that this effort is an Orwellian-Strangelovian mash-up that not just borders on conspiracy but crosses over to some dystopian Never-Never land. But you would be dead wrong. Terp and Buck Turgidson share a lot in common and ego is only a small part of it.
First off - please no more extended articles on UFOs as that's clearly part of the deflection process. Second, mis/dis/mal information efforts have been with us for some time as the Protocols of Zion attest. But this is different with a public-private partnership designed to promote and discredit certain individuals and narratives as our freedom fighting journos note with only one team portrayed as inviolably right - the progressive left of course to mix directions of course.
The entire Covid enterprise was and is, in part & parcel, to not just impact 2020 but to terrorize millions of people into believing the Covid-19 was the next Ebola when in reality it was a man-made virus with the IFR somewhere between a very nasty flu and swine flu. To make matters worse, the "vaccine" (how's that for mis/mal/dis information) has proven to be much worse that the disease.
So the CTIL files in addition to the Twitter files need to be widely disseminated and distilled for mass consumption. Unfortunately, AI will amplify this concerted public-private mis/mal/dis information effort and without requiring generative AI output to note all sources and % contribution to content, this is going to be an uphill battle. God help us if it's a Sisyphean endeavor.
Once again - kudos to Matt, Michael and Alex for continuing to demonstrate the absolute value and importance of real journalism.
Michael, Alex and Matt, tremendous work here... we need a bright bright light on these anti-American and unconstitutional activities. The people involved are fascists and should be viewed with disgust. Those who are citizens of America are not of right mind, they have become nothing more than political thugs working on behalf of a political party; worse their actions are deeply anti-American and unconstitutional despite the oaths they no doubt took to work for the US Government. The military and bureaucracy embrace of a program of this nature makes clear that our federal government is no longer working on behalf of the American citizen. Until we get to accountability, significant punishment, for those who engage in unconstitutional behaviors as politicians or government employees we cannot even begin to right this very bad situation. Citizens will not tolerate a government that is committed to undermining our Republic, our Constitution our Bill of Rights. Deeply troubling information...
Thank you for persisting in this fantastic journalism.
‘Oh what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive,’ Scottish writer/polymath Sir Walter Scott, 1808
'If You cannot Baffle Them With Bullshit, Confuse Them With Committees' unattributed, possibly Tonio K, 1978
The list of acronyms, misnomers, prevarications, study groups, etc. becomes so large that most mere mortals lack the bandwidth to analyze and process this story while maintaining something resembling normal life.
And for god's sake don't confuse CISA with CIS or Congress will ask DOJ to throw you in prison.
Matt, Micheal, Bari, and others who can keep the chronology and players straight astound with their mental acuity.
This story may never achieve the traction it deserves simply because of its breathtaking complexity.
Thank God for Whistleblowers. 🔥Time to fire Renee DiResta and shut down the SIO.
Hogwarts School of Misinformation meets the Information Justice League. I suppose this makes Sara-Jayne “SJ” Terp Wonder Woman. Zuckerberg would have to be Batman.
"What's your super power?"
"I'm rich"
So grateful for the whistleblower (hopefully there will be many more) and for your reporting. Thank you!!!
The Censorship Industrial Complex -- U.S. Government Support For Domestic Censorship And
Disinformation Campaigns, 2016 - 2022
Testimony by Michael Shellenberger to The House Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government - March 9, 2023
https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/shellenberger-testimony.pdf
Thank you -- even much worse than imagined, infinite financing, still ongoing and -- no one in jail yet!!
All these self-professed patriots who can't handle open and honest free speech (aka: political opinion) should be shackled to lamp posts with signs draped from their necks that read, "I'm a totalitarian. Feel free to throw a rotten vegetable at me."
The main reason for opposing central banks digital currencies is stated above:
"... it calls for trying to get banks to cut off financial services to individuals who organize rallies or events."
If there is a CBDC then no need to go to have a bank do it as the government can do it itself.
It is all pure evil.
Amazing work uncovering this information. We need a serious debate in this country about freedom information and freedom of thought. The very notion that this Country would willingly tolerate, for one second, something resembling Chinese infosec is hateful to the very idea of this Nation. Throw the bums out, each and every one!
My brain is not infrastructure!
Lumping cyber crime together with "misinformation" in the same bucket is one major problems with the people who share this mindset. For one thing, you don't have to be a "bad actor" to post something in good faith that may later turn out to be incorrect.
Another problem is the determination of "misinformation" itself--who makes the call? This ultimately points to the fact that these people, even if acting in good faith, think they have privileged insight into "truth," in other words, "I know better than you. And since I have this privileged insight, you are just needlessly confusing people and bogging down their search for the truth by cluttering up the public square with your misinformed opinions.