Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/02/05/disinformation-2020-fbi-warns.html
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It would be nice if the bigger players in social media took this seriously this time and nuked some of the bad actors. But I am not holding my breath.
I just unfollowed a few people last night, including my ex-wife, for my own sanity. I have a feeling there will be more to come.
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And of course, the social media platforms will take every effort to combat Russian disinfo campaigns … unless it negatively impacts their MAU numbers and affects their engagement-based advertising business models.
It’s not like Zuckerberg is going to suffer if liberal democracy goes down the tubes. And Dorsey could very well become an official in the regime.
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The road to hell will be paved with “engagement.”
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FBI warns of ongoing Russian ‘information warfare’
FBI warns of ongoing Russian / TGOP tRump ‘information warfare’
FIFY
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IDK but, it seems as though Russian disinformation operations are currently being run out of the White House.
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I can go on twitter and find 10 obvious fake retweet (ReTweet = RT = Russia Today) accounts in 5 minutes.
Really, the only defense to this is better childhood education, logic classes, and other things that won’t happen.
So long and thanks for all the fish!
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I saw a faked BBCNews page today aggregated inside of Flipboard. Header was badly misspelled otherwise a perfect copy.
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And ad revenue.
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I love the elephant in the room: in 2016 Russia engaged in ‘information warfare’ and ‘election infrastructure’ attacks but didn’t change votes on unsecured internet connected voting machines in a couple of swing counties in swing states.
I’m guessing because they believe in the sanctity of democracy, like we do!/s
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Quick, everybody say “Russia sucks” to prove ur not an agent. USA’s got issues too but at least here I’m allowed to say that for now.
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And, perhaps more importantly, didn’t happen when the current Trump voters were in school…
We know that’s true because there’s “no evidence” it happened! There’s no evidence because, um, no one actually ever looked to see if it had happened… I guess we’ll just have to have continued belief in the Russian support for democracy.
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I remember being in college, learning about philosophy and all the questions about “how can we know the truth,” and seeing all the progress, the science, and thinking, yeah go humans, we’re really getting a grip on reality!
Somehow, the whole world is still in the dark about how to know the truth. Like we’re still carrying on with this pre-iron age philosophy, only add bio/chem/atomic weapons.
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What if this is all a bigger disinformation campaign by aliens to make Earthlings hate each other 
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My guess is Russia’s already got the keys to the house and won’t go in any sooner than Nov 3rd.
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Reminds me of a very cynical (yet teaching-moment) comment from The Godfather Part III film:
To paraphrase: He who builds on the people, builds on mud.
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John le Carré, accepting the 2019 Olof Palme Prize:
One day somebody will explain to me why it is that, at a time when science has never been wiser, or the truth more stark, or human knowledge more available, populists and liars are in such pressing demand.
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I read that whole essay by le Carré at the weekend. Excellent stuff. Here’s a link to it - and it’s not all about Brexit, just about how leadership like Palme’s is sadly missing today.
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