In a hearing today before a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee charged with investigating technology and information warfare, cyber policy and national security expert Dr.
Every time the topic of the fake president, Guiliani, and the Ukraine scandal raises it's ugly head, I cringe regarding what they did to two innocent scapegoats in particular: Ambassador Yovanovitch and Lt. Col. Vindman.
As our ambassador to Ukraine, Yovanovitch became the victim of defamation and dirty politics by Guiliani and the sitting, imposter POTUS. Lt. Col. Vindman, then Director of European Affairs in the White was equally diminished. Both lost their positions and were treated as personae non grata!
IMHO, they both deserve a formal apology from the US government, medals of honor, and huge monetary compensations.
Thank you for going beyond the 100 days, dear Prof. HCR. Just please ensure that you don't over-extend yourself -- first and foremost, we want you to remain vibrant and healthy!
Ah, but how proudly they conducted themselves throughout! Few things were as heartening as their testimony and their bearing during it. They covered themselves in glory.
I agree that the Ambassador and Col Vindman have been political pawns in a dangerous game that the Russians seem to be winning. Both of these people have dignity and a strong moral compass that outlives the scum who used them.
The Russians understand chess very well. They play chess every time they move. Strategy is fresh air to them. Winning? The progressive left influences education, entertainment, policing, and policy. Everyone they don't like is an enemy of the state.
From my perspective, the left is making Putin a local hero.
And think about Vindman's brother! My daughter is a Foreign Service Officer and this entire episode hit close to home. Indeed, both Yavanovitch and Vindman deserve Medals of Honor!
They are by wonderful human beings who served our country for so many years—these corrupt actions by Trump and Guiliani caused great pain and a were essentially petty.
Picky, picky, picky........People make mistakes. Sometimes they are typos. Bottom line is communication. If they are able to communicate their message, I can overlook such mistakes.
I learned something from someone in this community. If you copy your article, you can delete your post, use your saved copy to make your correction and then repaste the corrected version. That tip has been very helpful to me!
Watching both of them go down in real time, the lyric “bye bye miss America pie” kept going thru my head. I thought, and still fear, this is the end for the democratic experiment. Humans just cannot seem to get there.
This is the most important part of this whole scandal. And, remember that Lt. Col. Vindman's two brother went down, too. Three people directly harmed in an attempt by corrupt politicians to win an election by cheating. Then they follow up and the cheating is still going on with the Big Lie.
Russia is waging all-out cyber war against the US and has been doing so for quite a while. Clemson University researchers Patrick Warren and Darren Linvill have been able to pinpoint exactly how the Russian bots manipulate public opinion.
The Russian social media posts are generated en masse by an industrial-style system created by Putin’s Internet Research Agency. By using a simple user template that could be repeated and tweaked according to specialized types of information, these so-called “troll factories” manufacture lies in much the same way a bottle factory churns out plastic soda bottles. And it works. The bot posts look just human enough to be believed, and the more extreme and angry they are, the more enraged other users become.
One of their most insidious skills is to pile support behind a few human outliers. This way the extreme sentiment comes from a real American, while the bots are agreeable but just polarizing enough to tip the scales. As Linvill has observed: “People are persuaded by things they’re already inclined to believe, not by someone yelling at you. The trolls were trying to be your friends, not your enemies.”
Worst of all, the bots’ stealthy emotional impact tends to linger long after they are discovered and kicked off of social media. This, Warren argues, is where the true danger lies, because their influence is “like an infection. It spreads into the social media ecosystem. And even when you take away that vector, you’ve done lasting damage to the body.” This body is not just the Twitter-verse, but American society and democracy, itself. As the U.S. Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence notes, the Russian trolls are intended to “stoke anger, provoke outrage and protest, push Americans further away from one another, and foment distrust in government institutions.” Our best option for protecting ourselves against this infectious disease of collective illusion is to understand what it looks like, and how it spreads.
Great explanation. When people argue that the Russians didn’t influence the 2016 election because they didn’t hack voting machines, they ignore these influence campaigns. The Russians targeted specific voting groups on social media, using private Trump campaign polling information that Manafort provided to the Russians. Using the disinformation techniques you describe, they angered and outraged likely Hillary voters with nasty, negative stories about her, turning them against her. These efforts were focused on Black inner city voters and Bernie voters in rust belt states. It made the difference.
This is the argument that has cost me many friends. I have cop friends who have basically now said that the FBI is a democratic haven and everything they do is suspect. I cannot even imagine what process has gone on in their heads to get them to the point where they believe a troll farm disinformation piece over the FBI.
Ask your friends why, if the FBI is a haven for Democrats, James Comey handed the 2016 election to Trump. Comey’s notice, three weeks before the election, that the FBI was re-opening the investigation into Hillary’s emails cost Hillary 2-3 points in the polls. Enough damage for Trump to squeak through in the electoral college. At the same time, Comey did NOT announce that the FBI was investigating the Trump campaign for Russian collusion. If the FBI favored the Democrats, then Comey would not have announced the Hillary investigation, and would have announced the Trump investigation.
Oh, I have. Time and time again. I just get the "fake news" flung at me by people who seem to have lost their ability to reason and think beyond what tickles their collective amygdalae.
I've "lost" several friends who, when I did much the same you did, played the 'fake news' card. I say "lost" because they were already lost, I just hadn't realized it yet.
For a while at least the preferred model for an FBI agent was someone who had the philosophical bent and profile of a Mormon because they were considered incorruptible you get a feeling for their mindset.
Trump & Co. knew and understood this. They shaped their audiences and in fact taught them to look for concrete signs to distrust election results. Remember how Trump would say that he'd heard stacks of votes were discovered in a river bed, or he saw video surveillance in which poll workers were lugging in suitcases of votes for Biden to be counted? He painted pictures--and the visual sticks in our memories--of what it looked like to rig an election. "Rigging," to many, consists of tampering with votes after they have been cast. The thought that someone, somehow could worm their way into MY private thoughts and decisions is much harder to imagine, and it's pretty scary. It should be!
I voted for Trump. I hated to do that, but Hilary seemed like a sick twist to me. I voted for Biden in 2020 because I imagined four years of revenge. Russia has tried to influence our voters since 1920. They want us to give up on democracy. We can't stop them from being obnoxious, but we can take responsibility for our choices. Hilary lost because she did not feel the need to try hard. Trump lost because he could not accept losing. I won because I can still vote for my choice no matter how good or bad it turns out to be.
Memory has multiple dimensions and is not perfect. We see, read, or hear information at a time, in a place, and from a source (e.g., a newspaper, a TV news program, an internet article, a good friend, an acquaintance, radio news, etc.). All or some of those dimensions may be stored in memory, and some of it is likely to fade over time, especially if we have little need to recall it over time. Days, weeks, months, even years later, we see or hear a mention of a disparaging topic and our memory tickles us that something about this information is familiar. We may recall some aspect of that topic, but may well not remember anything about the source, and are left with a sense if familiarity about the topic. The lingering effect of misinformation like this is that it can feed our doubts about a topic we may otherwise support. This is one reason that an academic like HCR is careful to document the sources of information as well as the information itself.
Bronwyn this is great. We see this in our own collection of Russian bots, which ramp up the nastiness when they are confronted. This is why I think not engaging with them is the best tactic and I don't bother to read their posts when they show up here.
There was a lot going on, aimed at Bernie fans, in 2016. Glen Greenwald (a real snake) and others in far left media pushing stories that HRC would declare war against Russia, leading Bernie fans to vote for Jill Stein. Jill Stein, who also traveled to Russia, and was backed by Russia bots. Jill Stein siphoned off enough Bernie fan votes to hand the electoral college to Trump.
"Our best option for protecting ourselves against this infectious disease of collective illusion is to understand what it looks like, and how it spreads."
This is the best short term option.
We desperately need to employ the longer game option of teaching our children, from a very young age, how to discern information from disinformation, and how to think critically about what we are seeing/hearing/learning. How we can know something is true, how to check several sources, even just think, "does this make logical sense?" and check it out.
I think we're all smart enough to learn to do this, but I fear too many of us may be too lazy to do it, as used to instant sound bites as we have become, and far too many of us are just plain too overworked and exhausted to have any hope of doing it. Sadly, I've heard even liberal friends buying into disinformation and even liberals often vote on their emotions, mainly manipulated by the bits and pieces they catch on their left leaning SM and news sites, and not with a deep understanding of the reality of the issues. I admit to doing this myself especially in the years I was busy working, running a household and raising kids. In the long run, we could make critical thinking a top priority in public schools, but do we have the will to do it? I don't think we can achieve democracy if we don't.
Russia launches the largest ever cyber-attack on the US in Trump's 2nd and 3rd year in office and what did Trump say about it in his 4th year in office? Nothing. Not a word.
You do realize that we spend on and commit 100 fold the cyberwarfare than Russia does, we are masters of the art, I am not condemning the action, but to say that this country or that is involved in something heinous, is infantile. This is standard protocol for every country and government, we tapped Angela Merkels cell phone, we hack every single bit of information from nobodies to the most powerful people in the world, stop with this ridiculous, petty game of Russiaphobia. Putin, is a thug, journalist murdering, Stalin yearning borderline dictator, but this whole narrative that Russia is shaping American consensus is specious at best.
The Russians enjoy sowing discord like a queen's gambit. America does not have to listen to Russia or play its game. We are not chess champs but we are not chumps either.
Unmentioned in this story are other Republicans who conspired with Russia to spread disinformation - Michael Flynn, Ron Johnson, Roger Stone and Devin Nunes (and likely others). I hesitate to contradict HCR - but I think it does matter whether foreign actors are working in concert with American politicians. Because it means that those foreign actors have leverage over those politicians. That is why Flynn had to be fired. Conspirators are compromised, they can be black-mailed. We saw Trump (and Flynn, and Nunes and Johnson) carry out questionable activities that seemed designed to help Putin. We saw Trump destroy notes from his meetings with Putin. We saw Johnson hold Senate hearings that directly benefitted Putin (and Trump). It’s highly likely that Trump was a Manchurian candidate, beholden to and directed by Putin. That matters greatly.
As a Wisconsinite who despises RJ, I figure there has to be some pay-off for him. Either in money or prestige or ? He's not just acting altruistically (in his mind). There has to be some reward dangled in front of his face. I just don't know what that is.
Johnson and 7 other Republicans went to Russia the week before Trump’s meeting with Putin to set the tone for Trump’s “friendship” with Putin. This was about the same time that Trump was proposing dropping sanctions against Russia, and including Russia in the G7. I don’t know who funded Johnson’s trip,I would guess it was taxpayers (official Congressional business?). Noe that no Democrats were included.
I was responding to the last paragraph, “It doesn’t matter, Dr. Lin pointed out to the subcommittee today, whether foreign actors are working in concert or in parallel with American actors when they spread disinformation: the destabilizing effect is the same.” The risks and damage to our country are far greater if they’re working in concert.
Thanks, JR. Since Trump himself never too notes, I had to look what you were talking about: Trump's confiscation and destruction of his translator's notes from his meeting with Putin in Hamburg. Somehow in the relentless onslaught of hate, rage, corruption, and attacks on our democracy that was Trump, I missed this story the first time. Links for others who missed it, too:
Thanks for these links, Elizabeth. I wonder if any attempts have been or will be made to contact the interpreters on these meetings who were issued a gag order not to disclose these conversations. Seems to me they don't fall under the heading of attorney-client privilege or any other such bars from disclosure. BTW, it is my understanding that an interpreter interprets oral statements while a translator translates written documents. So I figure we're talking interpreters here who could be called as witnesses to the conversations?
Lynell, I hope you're right that the TFG Administration's gag order is legally invalid, so they can be called to testify about what Dumpster discussed in that meeting with Putin. I bet the Democratic Congress wants investigations to go on in the background, so the focus stays on the good things President Biden is doing for the country and average people.
My mistake. I neglected to read the USA article that touches on the interpreter. "Fiona Hill, a senior Russia adviser on the National Security Council, and former State Department official John Heffern asked Trump's interpreter for more information about the Hamburg meeting, which is how they learned of the president's request to keep the details under wraps, the Post reported."
And the Manchurian Candidate is one of the most frightening movies I ever watched. I can still see Angela Lansbury and Montgomery Clift in those final scenes.
True, Eleanor;, a most harrowing, classic thriller. But Clift wasn't in it; he and Sinatra were both in From Here To Eternity. Apologies for the pedantry.
I understand (although Johnson was part of this week’s FBI/Giuiliani news). I was just pointing out that the numbers of Republicans involved in these disinformation efforts make it look like a conspiracy, not a coincidental, parallel effort.
So many Americans have waited patiently to get the whole story, and in the end, we may not know everything, but I am confident we will have a fuller picture by the end of this year. Keep the bowl of popcorn ready.
"The wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine. One of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ‘s translations was a 17th century poem, ‘Retribution,’ by Friedrich Von Logau: 'Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience he stands waiting, with exactness grinds he all.'"
Plus, it’s not like we didn’t know that this was what Putin planned and was doing for years now. So many have warned
“Foreign politicians talk about Russia’s interference in elections and referendums around the world. In fact, the matter is even more serious: Russia interferes in your brains, we change your conscience, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
– Vladislav Surkov, Adviser to Russian president Vladimir Putin”
“Arbitrage schemes” the brokering of soviet state companies to private investors. Bill Browder explains similar. Little known is how the KGB Also utilizes the Russian Mafia as a co branch of clandestine and illegal operations abroad. ( so the state can deny they had any part)
President Obama warned TFG about Flynn. But, nooooo, TFG knew better. Also, it was Flynn who started the “lock her up” language regarding Sec. of State Clinton.
Manafort brought some dirty strategies and dirtier deeds than most understand. His entire career was based on political consulting and lobbing for authoritarian dictators from around the world.
Yes, but I think Trump fired Flynn to cover his own a**, not because he was compromised.. He's just too stupid to understand the implications for him. And so the great coverup began by Nunes, Johnson, and other elected officials. They should all be tried for treason ... but we know that likely won't happen.
Trump was forced to fire Flynn, which Trump never wanted to do. Everyone around Trump told him he had to fire Flynn once news of Flynn being compromised became public, because it would make Trump look like Putin’s patsy if he didn’t. So, yes Trump covering his ass, and yes, because Flynn was compromised.
As a former Texan, I paid attention when the Texas Rangers decided (en masse) to go to a “seminar” in Moscow in 2014. It only got worse after that! sorry — no source on that off the top of my head, but think you might find it on the “Political Irony” blog if it’s still around.
That’s Russia courting of the American right: nra, white supremist leaders, Christian Right/evangelicals, oil and gas executives, Texas state police..., geez! “Ah Houston, we have a problem”
Lots of rightwing ballplayers, more than in other major sports with more Blacks. Some of them were (sic) flushed into the open during last summer's racial-justice crisis in pro sports.
I am a newshound in Texas. I do not think that is accurate. There is a New York Rangers (NHL) player with questionable ties to Russia. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thank you.
Most of the news today and yesterday began with searches by the FBI of Rudi Giuliani’s home and office, seizing his phones and computers. In recent years, Giuliani has made a fool of himself, telling one bizarre tale after another. He was Trump's mouthpiece (as though Trump needed another mouth) and his defective-detective. Rudi made a show of himself at January 6th pre-insurrection rally: 'Over the next 10 days', he said, 'we get to see the machines that are crooked, the ballots that are fraudulent, and if we’re wrong, we will be made fools of. But if we’re right, a lot of them will go to jail. Let’s have trial by combat.' and so they did.
Heather's Letter did not start with Rudi. It began instead with cyber policy and national security expert, Dr. Herb Lin. A couple of days ago, he testified before the House Armed Services Committee charged with investigating technology and information warfare. America have been through cyber attacks, wildfires and hurricanes, the pandemic, widespread hunger, racial protests, a threatened economy and political turmoil. Dr. Lin had something more to add:
“Information warfare threat to the United States is different from past threats, and it has the potential to destroy reason and reality as a basis for societal discourse, replacing them with rage and fantasy. Perpetual civil war, political extremism, waged in the information sphere and egged on by our adversaries is every bit as much of an existential threat to American civilization and democracy as any military threat imaginable.”
In addition to major cyber attacks, there is shocking amount of domestic misinformation at home. The Justice Department is plowing ahead, nevertheless, we don't know how lasting the BIG LIE will be. It is emotionally potent and not likely to fade, unless and until the Republicans are defeated again and again. We don't know what the effects of the last 14 months are having on our children. We don't know how our big cities will survive.. Given the Republican's desperate legislative moves and the Republicanized Courts, who can say what the midterm elections will be like?
The Information War is something we know about. Many Americans still think Trump should be president; won't take the vaccine and about 75% of elected Republicans as well as Republican voters don't take Covid-19 seriously or observe healthcare protocols. The information War has spilt family members, communities and friends. It is also right here in the forum. I call them 'tools' because they belong to our opponents. They attack our reasoning, take our time and divert us from our purpose. They are the louses in the house. Some subscribers gravitate to them out fascination, curiosity, innocence or boredom. They mess with us.
If you wear a mask and want to get vaccinated, act responsibly; care about your concentration, your learning, work and clarity of mind -- stay away from the 'tools'. They will invade your space and mess with your head. I'll learn more about them but not by giving them any of my time.
Herb Lin, the national security expert and teacher wrote book, The Art of Peace. In it he wrote, 'In short, we only have ourselves to count on. But that's not nothing. We have us.
I, too, have a copy of The Art of Peace on my bedside table. A different book, however. My copy is a book by Morihei Ueshiba who is said to be history’s greatest martial artist by translator John Stevens. Many authors of warrior classics accept the inevitability of war and cunning strategy as a means to victory. Morihei, it is said, understood that continued fighting with others, with ourselves, and with the environment will ruin the earth. As the translator quotes him, “The world will continue to change dramatically, but fighting and war can destroy us utterly. What we need now are techniques of harmony, not those of contention. The Art of Peace is required, not the Art of War.”
His teachings are a practical way of handling aggression.
I’ve turned to this book often to read a snippet to give me a reminder of the way that the current aggression of misinformation is to be handled to repair that which it destroys... our personal relationships as we live with others in this society.
Misinformation is a an aggressive war. A peaceful ear must also hear truth. Relevant to this stream, accounts written by historians such as HCR which calm stormy waters with the only true weapon, Truth, not judgment.
As something of an aside, in early 1970 I served in the army with a friend who was already pretty far advanced in Aikido. He made the pilgrimage to Japan in 1969 to see the Master. Unfortunately, Morihei Ueshiba passed away just before Stan's arrival there. Stan later went to the army language school and learned Japanese. My time in the army was up in 1970, and Stan's time was finished in 1973. After the army, he went on to devout his life to teaching and spreading the word about Aikido. Stan produced a magazine which promoted Aikido and was known around the world. He also interviewed many of the older Aikido practitioners in Japan and published their stories.
Heydon, Thank you for honoring your friend, Stan, with us today. 'Aikido, Japanese aikidō (“way of harmonizing energy”), martial art and self-defense system that resembles the fighting methods jujitsu and judo in its use of twisting and throwing techniques and in its aim of turning an attacker’s strength and momentum against himself. Pressure on vital nerve centres is also used. Aikido practitioners train to subdue, rather than maim or kill, but many of its movements can nevertheless be deadly. Aikido especially emphasizes the importance of achieving complete mental calm and control of one’s own body to master an opponent’s attack'. (Britannica) If we were to go further with our understanding of Aikido, it sounds as though we would learn lessons of mastery, control and survival. Peace, Heydon.
More than several years ago, before I retired, I was taught a strategy useful for dealing with those who would attempt to take over discussions and meetings. It was called simply a "plop." Those were the days before social media, but trolls have been among us forever, I suppose. Sometimes in the past, their motivations were nefarious, sometimes mischievous, but their behavior was always deliberately distracting. These people thrived on attention, good or bad or in between, however they could achieve it. The wisdom of that day, offered to those of us who were trying in good faith to actually conduct a meeting or have a discussion of worth, was to simply allow the troll's remark to "plop" without any response or acknowledgement from others. After a few "plops," the troll would either pout, stop, or go away.
Ellen, 'Plop' would be perfect warning to subscribers susceptible to exchanges with the 'tools'. Please share this with subscribers on Monday, perhaps, on a weekly basis. Would you share it with Ellie Kona? You know how funny it is. I like the sound it makes and its meaning - you deserve a standing ovation. It is a perfect antidote for subscribers wandering into the p l o p! I'm glad that I checked my desktop before taking walk in the park. Now, I am going to leave the apartment laughing! Thank you and here's to plop, plop!
Do you think that 45’s Covid hoaxers are hearing the news from India? I have to wonder how that lands with them. It’s so gut wrenching and worrisome for all of us.
The agony in India is at the edge of my mind when it isn't in the center. The people's agony feeds my personal caution and feelings of extreme helplessness. I have contributed to Doctors without Borders for years. We do what we can where we can. As for 45's Covid hoaxers what benefits could they be earning? They are accumulating guilty verdicts for their crimes against the people. I'm now taking breaths and looking out the window at a lush and beautiful day. I will clean the apartment with a head full of tears and focused determination. Thank you for spending a little time with me. Peace, Christy.
Fake News and its use in propaganda is nothing new that's for certain. People have been telling lies to people to incite them to do something since time immemorial. Control of information flows has always been an key element in attaining positions of power and keeping that power against similarily possibly unprincipled adversaries. However, what is new is, firstly, the current widespread availability of uncontrolled networks that facilitate and help dispense these messages in channels that it is next to impossible to counterbalance. Open access social media are, of course, an ideal platform for the propagation of unsubstantiated opinion and rumour which are currently polluting the psychy of many generations of active users. This however, in less omni-present forms, has always been around in one way shape or form. Social media has not invented bad faith, it just tends to live off its back.
What is new though, and my second point, is that this fake message can have such astounding impact. Are people being so disserved by our crumbling, politically limited education systems that they are even less able now to distinguish fact from fiction....or are the messages now spiralling down the hierarchy to pockets of society that never truly benefited from sufficient education or nutrition and never understood or cared actually how the system worked...for or against their interests. This however is confounded by the sociology of the "believers" as education is not necessarily lacking...but what is lacking is the will to see the reality being obscured by the false message and the true worth of those propagating the message. People want to believe the lies that they are being told as it allows them to vent their anger on someone else...it is nolonger their fault that their life is not what they hoped it would be...it gives them someone to hate.
That many of those holding the wealth tend to beware of those, in their minds, as amoral as they....as they can not conceive of a moral person fighting for justice for the ordinary people.... who would want to take away the one thing they've managed to get in life...Money...is hardly surprising. What we do have now is a coordinated effort on their part, in different parts of the world to prevent the revolution that would significantly reduce their wealth and power, their status and their innate sense of great personal worth.....for the sake of those that they fear and despise....the people.....and their weapon of choice is "fake news".
What to do about it? Well one remedy would be to do 4 things on internet:
---- stop allowing advertising as an operating expense for tax purposes and thereby massively reduce the level of advertising and sponsorship in the economy....reducing sports salaries amongst other benefits...and thereby making internet change its business model to a subscriber base and significantly reduce the impact of its message.
-----Make "opting-in" for the personal data the dominant model without loss of service on the site for refusal and thus massively reduce the data market and further attack the companies financial structure.
----Break up the GAFFA monopolies to enforce competition between a multitude of suppliers rather than the current controlling Hi Tech Oligarchy
----Make the social media legally responsible for its content and allow individual and class action suites against them.
Then we can start to attack educational improvement which might enhance the attraction of "reality" in the minds of all the people.
Whenever I hear the term “fake news,” it takes me to terrible places. A country with a dangerous narcissist surrounded by leeching sycophants, a period of blind allegiance to a demonic killer, and to my own close family holidays where I sit dazed and confused over the garbage that spews from the mouths of people that have meant so much to me for so long.
I’m changing my term to “unsubstantiated rumors.” A small twist in my mind to keep my emotions in check.
Thank you Stuart for your thoughtful and educated words.
The problem I have with "unsubstantiated rumors" is that it leaves open the possibility that said rumors might later be substantiated as accurate rather than calling out said rumors as outright lies.
Stuart Attewell, thanks for your thought-provoking comment on how to fix the internet. I agree the internet should be regulated as a public utility, with the Fairness Doctrine reinstated. In addition to holding social media companies responsible for not spreading lies, I think we need to regulate the algorithms they use, which prioritize and preferentally propagate outrage.
An word nerd note: By "GAFFA monopolies" I gather you meant Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. Perhaps the acronym is actually GAFAM? It's always helpful to spell acronyms out. It reduces baffling jargon.
GAFAM: the founders of each company are billionaires/trillionaires that need to be taxed their fair share. Call it Homeland Security Tax for their parts in cyber attacks and the spreading of fake news and misinformation.
This is why I don't use Google (try DuckDuckGo on PC and Android phone - good security and privacy, and no pesky algorithms feeding you cr*p) or Amazon (Bezos doesn't pay taxes, I do). As for FB - I have an account but rarely look at it, and although my laptop is a PC that came loaded with Microsoft 10, I'm about to switch back to a Linux distro. There are ways to avoid supporting the big guys.
Hey, Lanita. I tried DuckDuckGo sometime last year. It behaved like I was on dial-up. Was it Google that undermined me? I will try again. Would you provide more info about Linux distro? Thank you!
Hi Lynell, sorry it's taken so long to respond. I use DuckDuckGo with Mozilla Firefox as my browser. If you are using Chrome or a Microsoft browser, that might be why it seemed slow to you (I'm just guessing that browser incompatibility could be a factor - there are so many things that can slow down internet speeds since net neutrality was lost). As for Linux, on newer computers with enough RAM to run Windows 7 or 10 efficiently, Ubuntu's latest long-term support distro - Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) - is likely a good bet. One caveat for installing a Linux distro yourself - if you aren't comfortable with poking around for solutions on community boards for users, or for using a command line terminal and typing in some basic codes - if it doesn't work correctly on installing, it can be a pain. In my experience, Ubuntu has become more and more "out of the box" effective, but it's not for everyone.
One way to check it out is to put your chosen distro on a bootable USB drive or burn it on a bootable DVD (which you have to do to install anyway) and instead of installing, choose the option of trying it out without completing the install. You can also install it as a dual-boot OS alongside your existing Windows.
All of this is assuming you are not using a Mac - I am lost on Apple products - PC and Android girl all the way.
(On older PCs, I've used Linux Mint a fair bit. It's based on the same kernel as Ubuntu but it's lighterweight and doesn't require as much RAM or processing speed.)
Thank you, Elizabeth. It always strikes me as thoughtless when someone uses their own made-up acronyms or supposes that "everyone knows" what TFG means. And now we are confused by GAFFA or is it GAFAM? Just avoid acronyms unless the average American knows what it means: FBI, IRS, SS, USA, imo, WWII, WWIII. This problem with acronyms familiar to a "select" few people suggests that the HCR forum is not for everyone, only those who are literate in acronym language.
Excellent post. Two comments: 1) just as technology is outpacing law it is also outpacing education, in the sense that it is a struggle for all if us, even so called experts, to grasp and keep up with anything that approaches internet literacy; 2) while I am with you in theory on getting the ads out and changing the business model I wonder what replacement model might be most accessible since the internet has become a necessary "utility" in our world and will be critical in our children's future. We saw the social fissures during our Covid shut downs.
We could start by making the network provision a "public good" and returning to a policy of "net neutrality" . That way the "public" could charge "transit fees" to the sites wanting to use it to reach the people. Many sites would continue on an ad financed basis none the less but at least it would be profits funding it and not our pockets.
Stuart, you have probably already seen this article, but if not, it's worth a look. By Shoshana Zuboff, "The Coup We Are Not Talking About", NYT Sunday Review, 29 Jan 2021.
On reflection and reading comments below and David's NYT article below, i would add a 5th point to the above ways to bring the Data World elephants to heal and that would be
-----all data that people give permission to capture must be remunerated and the price be regulated.
"It doesn’t matter, Dr. Lin pointed out to the subcommittee today, whether foreign actors are working in concert or in parallel with American actors when they spread disinformation: the destabilizing effect is the same." When it is "foreign actors" it is cyber warfare. When it is domestic actors joining with foreign actors, it is treason.
That would be the problem. Appropriately, the bar for bringing either charge is very high. Of course, it's illegal just to be an unregistered agent of a foreign power, which is probably what Rudy will be charged with, so there is that. Much easier to prove, much easier to convict.
So glad to see your post tonight. It would appear that the legal system is doing what the Republicansrefused to do — examine the evidence. It is my hope that this is only the opening salvo in a “war” against disinformation.
If he calls on any one of the first ten amendments to rationalize any of his behavior while at the DOJ, I hope someone reminds him of his speech at one of the right wing think tanks (can't remember which one at the moment - I was cleaning out a cat box when a heard it) when he said he believed the Constitution did not need the Bill of Rights.
Putin and his quite capable team of hackers and trolls must be astounded at the gullibility of so many Americans that so far-fetched a tale as spun through the QAnon digital avatar has been swallowed whole by so many. Baby eaters, fergawdsakes!
It will be difficult, maybe impossible, for many of those taken in by QAnon and all the other "alternative facts" promoted by the Republican mis-information media industrial complex to admit at some point that they've been hornswoggled. It's not easy admitting you've been completely fooled.
Still, it's good to see the DOJ, through its investigation into L'Affair Ukraine, beginning the process of disassembling the ediface of lies constructed under the previous administration.
The moment you realize that someone has conned you an involuntary rage against the injustice and humiliation surges within you. It's a response based in the deepest part of our brains, like the fight-or-flight response. As a foundational part of our subconscious, it is present even before we admit we've been fooled. So it is the glue that sticks misinformation in the mind, the unspecified apprehension that we might be duped.
This makes me think of lessons I taught in the classroom about the lizard brain and how conspiracies feed our evolved need to fear predators (i.e. things that threaten us like "liberals" who will eat our children). Sadly, people don't stop to question, "Wait, is this real? Logical? Fact based?" As a result, they don't admit to being conned or fooled. They just absorb it into their consciousness and continue on. Until the next bit of misinformation and the confirmation of their biases continues.
I watched a handful of friends fall under the qanon spell just like that, Betsy. Swallowing one tiny crumb of misinformation and lies at a time. Plus, there was the thrill of knowing that they had access to that 'secret information' and the excitement of looking for the next clue that kept them hooked and digging for more.
I think this is right on. It's worth remembering always that looking for clear motives from the Russians is futile; they don't have any overarching goal except disruption and they'll take it whenever and however they can get it. They were glad Trump became president, but I don't think they had that as a goal (at the time it was too far-fetched to hope for) but backed him because they knew he would be a disruptive force no matter what. His election must have delighted them no end.
"Another source, defending Putin’s tenure as the deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, took a cooler approach. Asked about a local politician named Marina Salye who found evidence of corruption in the so-called oil-for-food scheme that Putin oversaw in the early ’90s, he didn’t bother to deny her findings; he just rejected the very idea that her findings mattered. “This all happened,” he smugly acknowledged. “But this is absolutely normal trading operations. How can you explain this to a menopausal woman like that?”
Belton suggests that this is the kind of two-pronged strategy the Kremlin has used to pursue its interests at home and abroad: Deploy threats, disinformation and violence to prevent damaging secrets from getting out, or resort to a chilling cynicism that derides everything as meaningless anywa."
And do I understand this part correctly: The FBI was ready to execute this raid at Slippery Snake Guiliani’s home before Biden took office but the Trump administration squashed that effort? I for one am actually relieved that Merrick Garland is the AG. An absolute snub to the GOP for not conducting a Senate hearing on his Supreme Court nomination. A talented individual who hopefully will operate with integrity and above the fray.
I think it's a mixed blessing that Garland did not make it to the SCOTUS. He's exactly the person for this huge job he has now. He'll round up as many scumbags as possible in the shortest amount of time possible, I'm sure.
Garlands family escaped Stalin’s Eastern Europe’s purges in the 1930s. Now he’s in charge of prosecuting crimes by Americans in Eastern Europe related to another Russian dictator. Is the arc of justice like a boomerang?
Laurie, and it is likely that the Repugnicans held up his confirmation for several weeks in order to get daylight between the former guy and this investigation.
This is the clearest explanation of this whole dirty little game that I’ve heard. As well as how destructive it is. At last, I get the full picture. Thank you, Heather.
Thanks again for the clear summary. Let us all remember, the mechanism at work on the Fox News, OAM etc. side is still the same as it was when DT was in office. It's called projection - a term originally from psychoanalysis but easily transferred to the political sphere. The mechanism works quite simply: Whatever they accuse "the other side" of doing is exactly what they are doing themselves. Combined with displacement (another term from psychoanalysis, here as in,"what about"ism and also "look at the shiny object over there", sent daily to media once they are onto their game), and you have a fairly straightforward summary of the media strategy at work. Apply just a tiny drop of healthy scepticism to this lurid mixture, and their own discourse becomes an excellent source of clues about their own wrongdoing. Looks as though the FBI figured this out some time ago, with or without the fancy lingo.
The projection was so much like my Ex, a good friend would point it out and say you know what this is like to be around. Toddler in chief was so transparent and telling exactly what he was up to! Just had to listen when he was pointing the finger at the others and see what he was blaming them of.
I so do love listening to Biden with his sane speeches and little slip ups. That I can relate to and forgive and forget. Aww!
But to so many who grew up in homes like this, the lies and blaming, and gaslighting is what feels normal and comfortable and is exactly why they cling to it and cannot hear beyond it.
Yes, it is karma that Merrick Garland is the AG. Great turn of events. And, while he has too much class, doesn’t have the time, inclination, or attitude I’ll say it for him “payback is a .....”
Rachel Maddow has been following the story of “Lev and Igor” for years. She and Heather are both skilled in their respective mediums in putting the pieces together for clarity. The trump cabal did a huge disservice to Ambassador Yovanovitch. With Merrick Garland at the helm her, on the record, testimony has an excellent chance of being the final nail in Giuliani’s proverbial coffin.
Next, the laser focus needs to turn on trump for his role (and that of all his minions) in Ukraine and January 6th. But, it must not be dragged out...this is not a young group of criminals!
It also must not be dragged out because, as we all know, time softens outrage, and gives ample time for the rewriting of the true facts. IMHO, justice must be swift or we will most assuredly relive the horror that was DT, and the events of Jan 6.
The insurrectionist scum of Jan 6 were much younger than their puppetmasters, but so far it's the rabble paying the price. Cast thy nets widely, ye DOJ fishers of men.
This story about the Trump administration and the Russian intelligence services working "in concert or in parallel" also heralds, in my humble opinion, the obsolescence of RICO and conspiracy law, historically some of the most potent legal weapons against corrupt cabals seeking to foment crimes and weaken institutions. With the rise of Facebook and it's ilk, conspirators no longer have to meet in secret or exchange covert messages; all one has to do is post a dog-whistle message on Facebook. Revolution and insurrection has become crowdsourced -- there never has to be any direct conspiracy to effect nefarious plans.
I recall spotting a specific instance of this from Turkey a few years ago, where a dominant party functionary posted a social media message declaring an opposition figure an "enemy of the people," or some such nebulous charge, calling for supporters to find him, beat him to a pulp, and deliver him to party headquarters. Sure enough, the man was spotted and attacked within a few hours.
Now, doxing and disinformation have become favored tools for violent militias, ideological fanatics, and the moneyed interests that profit from chaos and weakened social institutions. Law and policy will have to evolve to catch up, and I suspect that will require a relaxing of privacy interests and a strengthening of trust in law enforcement entities. For all that we've seen horrible abuses by police and some law enforcement agencies, there are far worse actors out there, domestic and international, and we need those institutions to fight back.
Your statement that (paraphrased) the rise of unfettered and unregulated opinion of large social media platforms (as well as their offshoots catering to the extreme fringes) has rendered the ability of RICO to investigate and prosecute obsolete is fascinating to me. I think your assessment is spot on. I have seen how hard it is for the laws/statutes to catch up with advances in crimes. (In my little world, the damages and ravages of the crime of having one's driver's license/SSN stolen and used to steal a person's identity far outweighed the statutory crimes of theft of two documents totaling less than $50 that was all that could be charged. The crime of Identity Theft created in the late 1990's was initially a misdemeanor, bumped up to a felony, and has now been augmented to stealing information via any means of a person's identity.) It has taken 20 years for the statute to catch up to the severity of the conduct. Your point is well made here.
I hope that there is some addressing of defining conduct such as we saw on 6 January, as we are seeing with the Republican Party in Arizona, and other things that happened within this administration. Treason as it exists in the minds of the people is very different from treason as it is defined constitutionally and statutorily. The conduct that has been engaged in by our congress critters needs to be articulated as criminal.
Wow ... you nailed it. I've been saying this for a long time. Social media is a menace to society and reason. Nearly 60 years ago the Republican party began its love affair with disinformation and flight from facts. It grew larger and more powerful with Gingrich whose genius (tongue-in-cheek) was understanding how to destroy opponents through subtle suggestions (some not so subtle) and lies. Like Pandora when she tried to shove misery back into the box, it was "too late" ... lies, fear, envy, hate were unleashed on humanity. Not that the R's cared. Is there hope for us to return to reason, fact, and truth? The R's now resort to more childish lies (i.e. banned meat, children's books) because they have nothing else, all while the truth (i.e. Trump, Jan 6, Gaetz, Johnson, Cruz) just pools around their feet. Those of us who still believe in truth, in fact checking, in logic and reason, are hoping the will drown in their cesspool, but the fact that their base still believes unfailingly that the election was stolen speaks volumes.
I once heard about an old campaign technique of hiring a couple of guys in suits to spend all day riding up and down the elevators in office buildings. Whenever someone else gets on the elevator, wait three beats, then one of them says to the other, "Hey, did you hear about the investigation they've started on (target's name)?" His companion immediately says, "Shh, you shouldn't talk about that here." The first one says, "Oh, sorry." Repeat the process as needed.
That seems to sum up the entire investigative technique of Fox News.
I think this is absolutely correct, in particular noting "the moneyed interests that profit from chaos and weakened social institutions." They have no overall goal; disruption is the whole game. They benefit from the chaos.
No need to go overseas to find information warfare. We have some of the worlds finest in Newsmax, OAN, Tucker Carlson, the Former Guy, on and on and on.
All y'all do the heavy lifting here, info and analysis-wise. I provide color commentary.
Because there is so much trumpian back story and so many villains, it's been easy to back-burner some of the essential history re trump's destructive administration. This particular HCR letter alerted me to how careless I've become about my personal recollections. Ergo, this particular focus today:
18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy
"If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both."
What bothers me most is this Code's "not more than twenty years." Nevertheless, what say the U.S. plan to put its southern border jails/cages/detention residences to far, far better use?! That said, a final question: "When?"
Thanks for diving into the US Code for this definition. Sadly, the "when" isn't moving nearly fast enough for most of us. These investigations are incredibly complex, and must be done right in order for the charges to stick.
Good morning everyone! I find it super interesting that we in this forum have been talking for several days about the infiltration of the community by Russian trolls and bots--who (I find this a bit amusing) are outraged when we accuse them of being Russian trolls, hacks, and bots--and this parallels the news cycle that also piques HCR's interest. Art imitating life, eh? I also admit to looking forward to seeing all the scumminess of the scumbag Giuliani revealed and I do hope that he folds like a cheap suit (as Michael Cohen suggests he will) and that the former guy gets covered in the filth that follows.
In the meantime, I have my last calm weekend before the last week of term and the grading frenzy begins, so I am going to enjoy it in my garden and with the dog. Have a great weekend everyone! I will check in on all of you periodically because, well;, I can't resist!
Good morning, Linda. Isn’t it good to know that we can relax over a weekend knowing that an idiot isn’t in charge of the country? Not that we can totally relax; perhaps just catch our breath. I wish I had a dog. I do have my flowers and my hungry birds (a charm of finches) to feed and enjoy.
Every time the topic of the fake president, Guiliani, and the Ukraine scandal raises it's ugly head, I cringe regarding what they did to two innocent scapegoats in particular: Ambassador Yovanovitch and Lt. Col. Vindman.
As our ambassador to Ukraine, Yovanovitch became the victim of defamation and dirty politics by Guiliani and the sitting, imposter POTUS. Lt. Col. Vindman, then Director of European Affairs in the White was equally diminished. Both lost their positions and were treated as personae non grata!
IMHO, they both deserve a formal apology from the US government, medals of honor, and huge monetary compensations.
Thank you for going beyond the 100 days, dear Prof. HCR. Just please ensure that you don't over-extend yourself -- first and foremost, we want you to remain vibrant and healthy!
Ah, but how proudly they conducted themselves throughout! Few things were as heartening as their testimony and their bearing during it. They covered themselves in glory.
For sure, Reid!
The witnesses sat up straight and delivered what they saw as true. Good for them. Being covered with glory is exaggerated.
I agree that the Ambassador and Col Vindman have been political pawns in a dangerous game that the Russians seem to be winning. Both of these people have dignity and a strong moral compass that outlives the scum who used them.
Agreed, Pam!
The Russians understand chess very well. They play chess every time they move. Strategy is fresh air to them. Winning? The progressive left influences education, entertainment, policing, and policy. Everyone they don't like is an enemy of the state.
From my perspective, the left is making Putin a local hero.
And think about Vindman's brother! My daughter is a Foreign Service Officer and this entire episode hit close to home. Indeed, both Yavanovitch and Vindman deserve Medals of Honor!
They are by wonderful human beings who served our country for so many years—these corrupt actions by Trump and Guiliani caused great pain and a were essentially petty.
"its" not "it's ugly head"
Damn you, Autocorrect...
Picky, picky, picky........People make mistakes. Sometimes they are typos. Bottom line is communication. If they are able to communicate their message, I can overlook such mistakes.
Well, he was correcting himself....
She -- I know it's hard to tell.
Ack! Misgendering! Sorry. I shouldn't assume.
Female was my guess.
That was not apparent to me.
Ah, I see. Substack is frustrating because it doesn't allow for editing.
You can — carefully — edit before you hit send, but most of us habitually hit send without proofing.
Thank you we all make these typos when we’re communicating especially in the middle of the night.
There is nothing inherently wrong with self-correcting one's mistakes.
I learned something from someone in this community. If you copy your article, you can delete your post, use your saved copy to make your correction and then repaste the corrected version. That tip has been very helpful to me!
Thank you, Ellen. I often do that myself.
I am glad you find the tip useful.
Watching both of them go down in real time, the lyric “bye bye miss America pie” kept going thru my head. I thought, and still fear, this is the end for the democratic experiment. Humans just cannot seem to get there.
Democracy is not over until the fat lady sings.
Could be. But I get nervous just hearing her rehearsing.
🙏 thank you.
GQP Congresscritter: "You don't mind if I call you Colonel, do you? People always say that instead of Lt Colonel."
Lt Col Alexander Vindman: "I am a Lt Colonel in the United States Army, sir."
Much respect and love also to Dr Fiona Hill and Lt Col Yevgeny Vindman. Heroines and heroes all.
This is the most important part of this whole scandal. And, remember that Lt. Col. Vindman's two brother went down, too. Three people directly harmed in an attempt by corrupt politicians to win an election by cheating. Then they follow up and the cheating is still going on with the Big Lie.
Why cry foul now?
Why not?
Ignore -- troll alert
Russia is waging all-out cyber war against the US and has been doing so for quite a while. Clemson University researchers Patrick Warren and Darren Linvill have been able to pinpoint exactly how the Russian bots manipulate public opinion.
The Russian social media posts are generated en masse by an industrial-style system created by Putin’s Internet Research Agency. By using a simple user template that could be repeated and tweaked according to specialized types of information, these so-called “troll factories” manufacture lies in much the same way a bottle factory churns out plastic soda bottles. And it works. The bot posts look just human enough to be believed, and the more extreme and angry they are, the more enraged other users become.
One of their most insidious skills is to pile support behind a few human outliers. This way the extreme sentiment comes from a real American, while the bots are agreeable but just polarizing enough to tip the scales. As Linvill has observed: “People are persuaded by things they’re already inclined to believe, not by someone yelling at you. The trolls were trying to be your friends, not your enemies.”
Worst of all, the bots’ stealthy emotional impact tends to linger long after they are discovered and kicked off of social media. This, Warren argues, is where the true danger lies, because their influence is “like an infection. It spreads into the social media ecosystem. And even when you take away that vector, you’ve done lasting damage to the body.” This body is not just the Twitter-verse, but American society and democracy, itself. As the U.S. Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence notes, the Russian trolls are intended to “stoke anger, provoke outrage and protest, push Americans further away from one another, and foment distrust in government institutions.” Our best option for protecting ourselves against this infectious disease of collective illusion is to understand what it looks like, and how it spreads.
Great explanation. When people argue that the Russians didn’t influence the 2016 election because they didn’t hack voting machines, they ignore these influence campaigns. The Russians targeted specific voting groups on social media, using private Trump campaign polling information that Manafort provided to the Russians. Using the disinformation techniques you describe, they angered and outraged likely Hillary voters with nasty, negative stories about her, turning them against her. These efforts were focused on Black inner city voters and Bernie voters in rust belt states. It made the difference.
This is the argument that has cost me many friends. I have cop friends who have basically now said that the FBI is a democratic haven and everything they do is suspect. I cannot even imagine what process has gone on in their heads to get them to the point where they believe a troll farm disinformation piece over the FBI.
Ask your friends why, if the FBI is a haven for Democrats, James Comey handed the 2016 election to Trump. Comey’s notice, three weeks before the election, that the FBI was re-opening the investigation into Hillary’s emails cost Hillary 2-3 points in the polls. Enough damage for Trump to squeak through in the electoral college. At the same time, Comey did NOT announce that the FBI was investigating the Trump campaign for Russian collusion. If the FBI favored the Democrats, then Comey would not have announced the Hillary investigation, and would have announced the Trump investigation.
Oh, I have. Time and time again. I just get the "fake news" flung at me by people who seem to have lost their ability to reason and think beyond what tickles their collective amygdalae.
I've "lost" several friends who, when I did much the same you did, played the 'fake news' card. I say "lost" because they were already lost, I just hadn't realized it yet.
Nick, same experience here. Lost. Not lost, just recognized.
Yay, someone who knows the plural of "amygdala" and how to use it in a sentence! I think I'm falling in love...
Amo, Amas, Amat
Enough with the brainiacs! Tee hee!
"collective amygdalae" = les mots justes
Comey was a registered Republican, btw.
Yeah, I have often commented on how liberal the FBI has become. <sarcasm font>
For a while at least the preferred model for an FBI agent was someone who had the philosophical bent and profile of a Mormon because they were considered incorruptible you get a feeling for their mindset.
Rudy is such Batman’s Penguin.
I’m still mad about this. Coney botched it.
Comey
Who knew?
Trivia: who was the first FBI agent to bring and win prosecution against the Russian mafia?
Mueller?
Andrew MCCabe
Which FBI agent had the most experience following Russian ops?
Very interesting indeed! So...was McCabe fired as retribution and at the behest of Trump’s Russian mafia friends? Did he ever receive his pension?
Trump & Co. knew and understood this. They shaped their audiences and in fact taught them to look for concrete signs to distrust election results. Remember how Trump would say that he'd heard stacks of votes were discovered in a river bed, or he saw video surveillance in which poll workers were lugging in suitcases of votes for Biden to be counted? He painted pictures--and the visual sticks in our memories--of what it looked like to rig an election. "Rigging," to many, consists of tampering with votes after they have been cast. The thought that someone, somehow could worm their way into MY private thoughts and decisions is much harder to imagine, and it's pretty scary. It should be!
I voted for Trump. I hated to do that, but Hilary seemed like a sick twist to me. I voted for Biden in 2020 because I imagined four years of revenge. Russia has tried to influence our voters since 1920. They want us to give up on democracy. We can't stop them from being obnoxious, but we can take responsibility for our choices. Hilary lost because she did not feel the need to try hard. Trump lost because he could not accept losing. I won because I can still vote for my choice no matter how good or bad it turns out to be.
Memory has multiple dimensions and is not perfect. We see, read, or hear information at a time, in a place, and from a source (e.g., a newspaper, a TV news program, an internet article, a good friend, an acquaintance, radio news, etc.). All or some of those dimensions may be stored in memory, and some of it is likely to fade over time, especially if we have little need to recall it over time. Days, weeks, months, even years later, we see or hear a mention of a disparaging topic and our memory tickles us that something about this information is familiar. We may recall some aspect of that topic, but may well not remember anything about the source, and are left with a sense if familiarity about the topic. The lingering effect of misinformation like this is that it can feed our doubts about a topic we may otherwise support. This is one reason that an academic like HCR is careful to document the sources of information as well as the information itself.
Wish I could “❤️“ this twice.
And probably the best reason to identify trolls on this site and not engage them. Sorry Roland.
Except that now with the help of Google, there is no need to depend on our own memory/filter
Google is run by a self-interested corporation. I use them a lot, but I need to find other sources. I can't depend on any one source.
. . . . at a time, in a place, and from a source . . . YES! Each of these dimensions is important.
I don't always agree with HCR, but I respect her care with information and sources.
Bronwyn this is great. We see this in our own collection of Russian bots, which ramp up the nastiness when they are confronted. This is why I think not engaging with them is the best tactic and I don't bother to read their posts when they show up here.
Linda 100%. No replies, no Likes, no helping hand out from under the Neva River bridge.
I have many Bernie adoring supporters around me that to this day refuse to see how they were effected by Russian propaganda in 2016
There was a lot going on, aimed at Bernie fans, in 2016. Glen Greenwald (a real snake) and others in far left media pushing stories that HRC would declare war against Russia, leading Bernie fans to vote for Jill Stein. Jill Stein, who also traveled to Russia, and was backed by Russia bots. Jill Stein siphoned off enough Bernie fan votes to hand the electoral college to Trump.
My favorite cousin, a journalist, bought this entire Russian/Sanders/Stein ruse, and continues to defend it. Heartbreaking.
A frightening detailed explanation. What can be done to stop this spiral of deceit?
"Our best option for protecting ourselves against this infectious disease of collective illusion is to understand what it looks like, and how it spreads."
This is the best short term option.
We desperately need to employ the longer game option of teaching our children, from a very young age, how to discern information from disinformation, and how to think critically about what we are seeing/hearing/learning. How we can know something is true, how to check several sources, even just think, "does this make logical sense?" and check it out.
I think we're all smart enough to learn to do this, but I fear too many of us may be too lazy to do it, as used to instant sound bites as we have become, and far too many of us are just plain too overworked and exhausted to have any hope of doing it. Sadly, I've heard even liberal friends buying into disinformation and even liberals often vote on their emotions, mainly manipulated by the bits and pieces they catch on their left leaning SM and news sites, and not with a deep understanding of the reality of the issues. I admit to doing this myself especially in the years I was busy working, running a household and raising kids. In the long run, we could make critical thinking a top priority in public schools, but do we have the will to do it? I don't think we can achieve democracy if we don't.
As a former teacher critical thinking skills combined with good ELA skills were my focus. I agree.
Russia launches the largest ever cyber-attack on the US in Trump's 2nd and 3rd year in office and what did Trump say about it in his 4th year in office? Nothing. Not a word.
🙏
You do realize that we spend on and commit 100 fold the cyberwarfare than Russia does, we are masters of the art, I am not condemning the action, but to say that this country or that is involved in something heinous, is infantile. This is standard protocol for every country and government, we tapped Angela Merkels cell phone, we hack every single bit of information from nobodies to the most powerful people in the world, stop with this ridiculous, petty game of Russiaphobia. Putin, is a thug, journalist murdering, Stalin yearning borderline dictator, but this whole narrative that Russia is shaping American consensus is specious at best.
The Russians enjoy sowing discord like a queen's gambit. America does not have to listen to Russia or play its game. We are not chess champs but we are not chumps either.
Unmentioned in this story are other Republicans who conspired with Russia to spread disinformation - Michael Flynn, Ron Johnson, Roger Stone and Devin Nunes (and likely others). I hesitate to contradict HCR - but I think it does matter whether foreign actors are working in concert with American politicians. Because it means that those foreign actors have leverage over those politicians. That is why Flynn had to be fired. Conspirators are compromised, they can be black-mailed. We saw Trump (and Flynn, and Nunes and Johnson) carry out questionable activities that seemed designed to help Putin. We saw Trump destroy notes from his meetings with Putin. We saw Johnson hold Senate hearings that directly benefitted Putin (and Trump). It’s highly likely that Trump was a Manchurian candidate, beholden to and directed by Putin. That matters greatly.
...and don't forget that Ron Johnson was one of the Republican U.S. legislature members who went to Russia for the FOURTH OF JULY! GRRR!
I can’t figure out if Johnson is stunningly ignorant, or an evil genius.
I would bet on the former
Definitely ignorant, unless he's a great actor (doubtful).
Me too.
Or it’s just greed
As a Wisconsinite who despises RJ, I figure there has to be some pay-off for him. Either in money or prestige or ? He's not just acting altruistically (in his mind). There has to be some reward dangled in front of his face. I just don't know what that is.
Devos’s are his biggest supporters. Amway is huge in Russia. To avoid taxes, Devos and Amway keep billions in Russian banks. RJ is devos bagman.
Sooooo creepy.
...and/or blackmail
Maybe both
Sorry, but I suspect that”evil genius” is no more than an oxymoron!
RJ is the Devos bagman. Devos keep billions in Russian banks slot avoid US taxes.
“To avoid”
Wisconsin. Devos. Amway. Russian Amway tax. Putin tax.
Why did RJ go there? For whose money?
Johnson and 7 other Republicans went to Russia the week before Trump’s meeting with Putin to set the tone for Trump’s “friendship” with Putin. This was about the same time that Trump was proposing dropping sanctions against Russia, and including Russia in the G7. I don’t know who funded Johnson’s trip,I would guess it was taxpayers (official Congressional business?). Noe that no Democrats were included.
Stupid follows stupid.
Not a contradiction. Rather, additional information about our enemies domestic. Many of whom occupy seats in Congress.
I was responding to the last paragraph, “It doesn’t matter, Dr. Lin pointed out to the subcommittee today, whether foreign actors are working in concert or in parallel with American actors when they spread disinformation: the destabilizing effect is the same.” The risks and damage to our country are far greater if they’re working in concert.
So you're contradicting Dr. Lin, not Dr. Richardson, who is reporting what Dr. Lin said in the sentence you quote.
Right, good point.
Thanks, JR. Since Trump himself never too notes, I had to look what you were talking about: Trump's confiscation and destruction of his translator's notes from his meeting with Putin in Hamburg. Somehow in the relentless onslaught of hate, rage, corruption, and attacks on our democracy that was Trump, I missed this story the first time. Links for others who missed it, too:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/13/trump-putin-meetings-interpreter-notes/2565471002/
https://www.americanoversight.org/lawsuit-over-administrations-unlawful-seizure-of-trump-putin-meeting-notes-moves-forward
Thanks for these links, Elizabeth. I wonder if any attempts have been or will be made to contact the interpreters on these meetings who were issued a gag order not to disclose these conversations. Seems to me they don't fall under the heading of attorney-client privilege or any other such bars from disclosure. BTW, it is my understanding that an interpreter interprets oral statements while a translator translates written documents. So I figure we're talking interpreters here who could be called as witnesses to the conversations?
Lynell, I hope you're right that the TFG Administration's gag order is legally invalid, so they can be called to testify about what Dumpster discussed in that meeting with Putin. I bet the Democratic Congress wants investigations to go on in the background, so the focus stays on the good things President Biden is doing for the country and average people.
My mistake. I neglected to read the USA article that touches on the interpreter. "Fiona Hill, a senior Russia adviser on the National Security Council, and former State Department official John Heffern asked Trump's interpreter for more information about the Hamburg meeting, which is how they learned of the president's request to keep the details under wraps, the Post reported."
That dirty rotten scoundrel!
Trumpsky didn't even earn his knee pads. No sanctions on Russia lifted, no reelection, no successful coup. Putin wants his money back.
And the Manchurian Candidate is one of the most frightening movies I ever watched. I can still see Angela Lansbury and Montgomery Clift in those final scenes.
Heebeee Geebee’s
True, Eleanor;, a most harrowing, classic thriller. But Clift wasn't in it; he and Sinatra were both in From Here To Eternity. Apologies for the pedantry.
Yes, correct. The to-be assassin was Lawrence Harvey?
Heather’s recap is based on the events of the week, and Giuliano’s activities,
As far as the investigation goes - one criminal at a time...
I understand (although Johnson was part of this week’s FBI/Giuiliani news). I was just pointing out that the numbers of Republicans involved in these disinformation efforts make it look like a conspiracy, not a coincidental, parallel effort.
So many Americans have waited patiently to get the whole story, and in the end, we may not know everything, but I am confident we will have a fuller picture by the end of this year. Keep the bowl of popcorn ready.
"The wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine. One of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ‘s translations was a 17th century poem, ‘Retribution,’ by Friedrich Von Logau: 'Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience he stands waiting, with exactness grinds he all.'"
Good evening Lynell!! Thanks for the source and full quote which I mangle with regularity.
Just bought a jumbo bag of popping corn.
To underststamd Ron Jon...follow the money. Wisconsin. Devos. Amway. Follow Amway to Russia.
https://www.the-american-interest.com/2016/07/14/the-fsb-goes-after-an-american-company/
https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Amway/onion-russia.html
Why do I feel like we are only in the first battle of World War III with the Russians? And most of the fighting is covert.
Read Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West
by Catherine Belton. She describes the corruption through billions of dollars of looted money from the former USSR
Plus, it’s not like we didn’t know that this was what Putin planned and was doing for years now. So many have warned
“Foreign politicians talk about Russia’s interference in elections and referendums around the world. In fact, the matter is even more serious: Russia interferes in your brains, we change your conscience, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
– Vladislav Surkov, Adviser to Russian president Vladimir Putin”
https://www.csis.org/features/kremlin-playbook-2
“If citizens can be kept uncertain by the regular manufacture of crisis, their emotions can be managed and directed”-V. Surkov
So this is how World War III is waged, with profiteering facebook et al complicit.
Yeah Christy! 100%!!!
Red Notice -Bill Browder
“Arbitrage schemes” the brokering of soviet state companies to private investors. Bill Browder explains similar. Little known is how the KGB Also utilizes the Russian Mafia as a co branch of clandestine and illegal operations abroad. ( so the state can deny they had any part)
President Obama warned TFG about Flynn. But, nooooo, TFG knew better. Also, it was Flynn who started the “lock her up” language regarding Sec. of State Clinton.
Flynn borrowed that from Manafort, same chant paul came up with to challenge female President Yulia Tomanshenko’s campaign in Ukraine (2005-2007?)
Thank you. I did not know that.
Manafort brought some dirty strategies and dirtier deeds than most understand. His entire career was based on political consulting and lobbing for authoritarian dictators from around the world.
OH. A lucrative lucifer career.
The Lucifer Lobby
TFG?
the former guy
Thanks, Joan. I knew who we were talking about and have seen this acronym before but couldn't come up with it on my own. At least I got "The" right!
I didn’t know what TFG meant either. I was guessing. I definitely got the “F” wrong. :)
Not wrong, just different interpretation. I made the same assumption the first time I saw it here.
That works too
Thank you, Joan.
I was confused, too, Lynn.
Yes 45 knew that Flynn was working for him. I’m guessing Obama was hoping that wasn’t the case at that point
Yes, but I think Trump fired Flynn to cover his own a**, not because he was compromised.. He's just too stupid to understand the implications for him. And so the great coverup began by Nunes, Johnson, and other elected officials. They should all be tried for treason ... but we know that likely won't happen.
Trump was forced to fire Flynn, which Trump never wanted to do. Everyone around Trump told him he had to fire Flynn once news of Flynn being compromised became public, because it would make Trump look like Putin’s patsy if he didn’t. So, yes Trump covering his ass, and yes, because Flynn was compromised.
And yet he still looks like Putin's patsy.
As a former Texan, I paid attention when the Texas Rangers decided (en masse) to go to a “seminar” in Moscow in 2014. It only got worse after that! sorry — no source on that off the top of my head, but think you might find it on the “Political Irony” blog if it’s still around.
That’s Russia courting of the American right: nra, white supremist leaders, Christian Right/evangelicals, oil and gas executives, Texas state police..., geez! “Ah Houston, we have a problem”
Lots of rightwing ballplayers, more than in other major sports with more Blacks. Some of them were (sic) flushed into the open during last summer's racial-justice crisis in pro sports.
Wait whaaaaaat?
I am a newshound in Texas. I do not think that is accurate. There is a New York Rangers (NHL) player with questionable ties to Russia. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thank you.
Paul Ryan,” let’s just keep this in the family”... then he resigns. What a chump!
Your damn right it matters!
It’s highly likely that Trump was a Manchurian candidate", Bah, Trump is a lot of horrible things, but this is juvenile concatenation.
Most of the news today and yesterday began with searches by the FBI of Rudi Giuliani’s home and office, seizing his phones and computers. In recent years, Giuliani has made a fool of himself, telling one bizarre tale after another. He was Trump's mouthpiece (as though Trump needed another mouth) and his defective-detective. Rudi made a show of himself at January 6th pre-insurrection rally: 'Over the next 10 days', he said, 'we get to see the machines that are crooked, the ballots that are fraudulent, and if we’re wrong, we will be made fools of. But if we’re right, a lot of them will go to jail. Let’s have trial by combat.' and so they did.
Heather's Letter did not start with Rudi. It began instead with cyber policy and national security expert, Dr. Herb Lin. A couple of days ago, he testified before the House Armed Services Committee charged with investigating technology and information warfare. America have been through cyber attacks, wildfires and hurricanes, the pandemic, widespread hunger, racial protests, a threatened economy and political turmoil. Dr. Lin had something more to add:
“Information warfare threat to the United States is different from past threats, and it has the potential to destroy reason and reality as a basis for societal discourse, replacing them with rage and fantasy. Perpetual civil war, political extremism, waged in the information sphere and egged on by our adversaries is every bit as much of an existential threat to American civilization and democracy as any military threat imaginable.”
In addition to major cyber attacks, there is shocking amount of domestic misinformation at home. The Justice Department is plowing ahead, nevertheless, we don't know how lasting the BIG LIE will be. It is emotionally potent and not likely to fade, unless and until the Republicans are defeated again and again. We don't know what the effects of the last 14 months are having on our children. We don't know how our big cities will survive.. Given the Republican's desperate legislative moves and the Republicanized Courts, who can say what the midterm elections will be like?
The Information War is something we know about. Many Americans still think Trump should be president; won't take the vaccine and about 75% of elected Republicans as well as Republican voters don't take Covid-19 seriously or observe healthcare protocols. The information War has spilt family members, communities and friends. It is also right here in the forum. I call them 'tools' because they belong to our opponents. They attack our reasoning, take our time and divert us from our purpose. They are the louses in the house. Some subscribers gravitate to them out fascination, curiosity, innocence or boredom. They mess with us.
If you wear a mask and want to get vaccinated, act responsibly; care about your concentration, your learning, work and clarity of mind -- stay away from the 'tools'. They will invade your space and mess with your head. I'll learn more about them but not by giving them any of my time.
Herb Lin, the national security expert and teacher wrote book, The Art of Peace. In it he wrote, 'In short, we only have ourselves to count on. But that's not nothing. We have us.
I, too, have a copy of The Art of Peace on my bedside table. A different book, however. My copy is a book by Morihei Ueshiba who is said to be history’s greatest martial artist by translator John Stevens. Many authors of warrior classics accept the inevitability of war and cunning strategy as a means to victory. Morihei, it is said, understood that continued fighting with others, with ourselves, and with the environment will ruin the earth. As the translator quotes him, “The world will continue to change dramatically, but fighting and war can destroy us utterly. What we need now are techniques of harmony, not those of contention. The Art of Peace is required, not the Art of War.”
His teachings are a practical way of handling aggression.
I’ve turned to this book often to read a snippet to give me a reminder of the way that the current aggression of misinformation is to be handled to repair that which it destroys... our personal relationships as we live with others in this society.
Misinformation is a an aggressive war. A peaceful ear must also hear truth. Relevant to this stream, accounts written by historians such as HCR which calm stormy waters with the only true weapon, Truth, not judgment.
The Art of Peace: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877738513/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_VZW4G6V9NR5HR07554ZN
As something of an aside, in early 1970 I served in the army with a friend who was already pretty far advanced in Aikido. He made the pilgrimage to Japan in 1969 to see the Master. Unfortunately, Morihei Ueshiba passed away just before Stan's arrival there. Stan later went to the army language school and learned Japanese. My time in the army was up in 1970, and Stan's time was finished in 1973. After the army, he went on to devout his life to teaching and spreading the word about Aikido. Stan produced a magazine which promoted Aikido and was known around the world. He also interviewed many of the older Aikido practitioners in Japan and published their stories.
Heydon, Thank you for honoring your friend, Stan, with us today. 'Aikido, Japanese aikidō (“way of harmonizing energy”), martial art and self-defense system that resembles the fighting methods jujitsu and judo in its use of twisting and throwing techniques and in its aim of turning an attacker’s strength and momentum against himself. Pressure on vital nerve centres is also used. Aikido practitioners train to subdue, rather than maim or kill, but many of its movements can nevertheless be deadly. Aikido especially emphasizes the importance of achieving complete mental calm and control of one’s own body to master an opponent’s attack'. (Britannica) If we were to go further with our understanding of Aikido, it sounds as though we would learn lessons of mastery, control and survival. Peace, Heydon.
Thanks for the link; it's been added to my list.
The Art of Peace by Herbert Lin - https://www.hoover.org/research/art-peace
More than several years ago, before I retired, I was taught a strategy useful for dealing with those who would attempt to take over discussions and meetings. It was called simply a "plop." Those were the days before social media, but trolls have been among us forever, I suppose. Sometimes in the past, their motivations were nefarious, sometimes mischievous, but their behavior was always deliberately distracting. These people thrived on attention, good or bad or in between, however they could achieve it. The wisdom of that day, offered to those of us who were trying in good faith to actually conduct a meeting or have a discussion of worth, was to simply allow the troll's remark to "plop" without any response or acknowledgement from others. After a few "plops," the troll would either pout, stop, or go away.
Ellen, 'Plop' would be perfect warning to subscribers susceptible to exchanges with the 'tools'. Please share this with subscribers on Monday, perhaps, on a weekly basis. Would you share it with Ellie Kona? You know how funny it is. I like the sound it makes and its meaning - you deserve a standing ovation. It is a perfect antidote for subscribers wandering into the p l o p! I'm glad that I checked my desktop before taking walk in the park. Now, I am going to leave the apartment laughing! Thank you and here's to plop, plop!
I love it also!
Epic plop for Dale Berman
Do you think that 45’s Covid hoaxers are hearing the news from India? I have to wonder how that lands with them. It’s so gut wrenching and worrisome for all of us.
The agony in India is at the edge of my mind when it isn't in the center. The people's agony feeds my personal caution and feelings of extreme helplessness. I have contributed to Doctors without Borders for years. We do what we can where we can. As for 45's Covid hoaxers what benefits could they be earning? They are accumulating guilty verdicts for their crimes against the people. I'm now taking breaths and looking out the window at a lush and beautiful day. I will clean the apartment with a head full of tears and focused determination. Thank you for spending a little time with me. Peace, Christy.
🙏🙏🤗🤗 ❤️
Fake News and its use in propaganda is nothing new that's for certain. People have been telling lies to people to incite them to do something since time immemorial. Control of information flows has always been an key element in attaining positions of power and keeping that power against similarily possibly unprincipled adversaries. However, what is new is, firstly, the current widespread availability of uncontrolled networks that facilitate and help dispense these messages in channels that it is next to impossible to counterbalance. Open access social media are, of course, an ideal platform for the propagation of unsubstantiated opinion and rumour which are currently polluting the psychy of many generations of active users. This however, in less omni-present forms, has always been around in one way shape or form. Social media has not invented bad faith, it just tends to live off its back.
What is new though, and my second point, is that this fake message can have such astounding impact. Are people being so disserved by our crumbling, politically limited education systems that they are even less able now to distinguish fact from fiction....or are the messages now spiralling down the hierarchy to pockets of society that never truly benefited from sufficient education or nutrition and never understood or cared actually how the system worked...for or against their interests. This however is confounded by the sociology of the "believers" as education is not necessarily lacking...but what is lacking is the will to see the reality being obscured by the false message and the true worth of those propagating the message. People want to believe the lies that they are being told as it allows them to vent their anger on someone else...it is nolonger their fault that their life is not what they hoped it would be...it gives them someone to hate.
That many of those holding the wealth tend to beware of those, in their minds, as amoral as they....as they can not conceive of a moral person fighting for justice for the ordinary people.... who would want to take away the one thing they've managed to get in life...Money...is hardly surprising. What we do have now is a coordinated effort on their part, in different parts of the world to prevent the revolution that would significantly reduce their wealth and power, their status and their innate sense of great personal worth.....for the sake of those that they fear and despise....the people.....and their weapon of choice is "fake news".
What to do about it? Well one remedy would be to do 4 things on internet:
---- stop allowing advertising as an operating expense for tax purposes and thereby massively reduce the level of advertising and sponsorship in the economy....reducing sports salaries amongst other benefits...and thereby making internet change its business model to a subscriber base and significantly reduce the impact of its message.
-----Make "opting-in" for the personal data the dominant model without loss of service on the site for refusal and thus massively reduce the data market and further attack the companies financial structure.
----Break up the GAFFA monopolies to enforce competition between a multitude of suppliers rather than the current controlling Hi Tech Oligarchy
----Make the social media legally responsible for its content and allow individual and class action suites against them.
Then we can start to attack educational improvement which might enhance the attraction of "reality" in the minds of all the people.
Whenever I hear the term “fake news,” it takes me to terrible places. A country with a dangerous narcissist surrounded by leeching sycophants, a period of blind allegiance to a demonic killer, and to my own close family holidays where I sit dazed and confused over the garbage that spews from the mouths of people that have meant so much to me for so long.
I’m changing my term to “unsubstantiated rumors.” A small twist in my mind to keep my emotions in check.
Thank you Stuart for your thoughtful and educated words.
The problem I have with "unsubstantiated rumors" is that it leaves open the possibility that said rumors might later be substantiated as accurate rather than calling out said rumors as outright lies.
"Educational improvement" -- <sigh> -- what a lovely idea. :-)
Stuart Attewell, thanks for your thought-provoking comment on how to fix the internet. I agree the internet should be regulated as a public utility, with the Fairness Doctrine reinstated. In addition to holding social media companies responsible for not spreading lies, I think we need to regulate the algorithms they use, which prioritize and preferentally propagate outrage.
An word nerd note: By "GAFFA monopolies" I gather you meant Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. Perhaps the acronym is actually GAFAM? It's always helpful to spell acronyms out. It reduces baffling jargon.
GAFAM: the founders of each company are billionaires/trillionaires that need to be taxed their fair share. Call it Homeland Security Tax for their parts in cyber attacks and the spreading of fake news and misinformation.
This is why I don't use Google (try DuckDuckGo on PC and Android phone - good security and privacy, and no pesky algorithms feeding you cr*p) or Amazon (Bezos doesn't pay taxes, I do). As for FB - I have an account but rarely look at it, and although my laptop is a PC that came loaded with Microsoft 10, I'm about to switch back to a Linux distro. There are ways to avoid supporting the big guys.
Good advice, LG. I should remember DuckDuckGo rather than the reflexive Google.
Hey, Lanita. I tried DuckDuckGo sometime last year. It behaved like I was on dial-up. Was it Google that undermined me? I will try again. Would you provide more info about Linux distro? Thank you!
Hi Lynell, sorry it's taken so long to respond. I use DuckDuckGo with Mozilla Firefox as my browser. If you are using Chrome or a Microsoft browser, that might be why it seemed slow to you (I'm just guessing that browser incompatibility could be a factor - there are so many things that can slow down internet speeds since net neutrality was lost). As for Linux, on newer computers with enough RAM to run Windows 7 or 10 efficiently, Ubuntu's latest long-term support distro - Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) - is likely a good bet. One caveat for installing a Linux distro yourself - if you aren't comfortable with poking around for solutions on community boards for users, or for using a command line terminal and typing in some basic codes - if it doesn't work correctly on installing, it can be a pain. In my experience, Ubuntu has become more and more "out of the box" effective, but it's not for everyone.
One way to check it out is to put your chosen distro on a bootable USB drive or burn it on a bootable DVD (which you have to do to install anyway) and instead of installing, choose the option of trying it out without completing the install. You can also install it as a dual-boot OS alongside your existing Windows.
All of this is assuming you are not using a Mac - I am lost on Apple products - PC and Android girl all the way.
(On older PCs, I've used Linux Mint a fair bit. It's based on the same kernel as Ubuntu but it's lighterweight and doesn't require as much RAM or processing speed.)
Thank you, Elizabeth. It always strikes me as thoughtless when someone uses their own made-up acronyms or supposes that "everyone knows" what TFG means. And now we are confused by GAFFA or is it GAFAM? Just avoid acronyms unless the average American knows what it means: FBI, IRS, SS, USA, imo, WWII, WWIII. This problem with acronyms familiar to a "select" few people suggests that the HCR forum is not for everyone, only those who are literate in acronym language.
HCR?
Just kidding.
Stuart, thank you for your typically astute and informative thoughts. I always look forward to your comments.
Excellent post. Two comments: 1) just as technology is outpacing law it is also outpacing education, in the sense that it is a struggle for all if us, even so called experts, to grasp and keep up with anything that approaches internet literacy; 2) while I am with you in theory on getting the ads out and changing the business model I wonder what replacement model might be most accessible since the internet has become a necessary "utility" in our world and will be critical in our children's future. We saw the social fissures during our Covid shut downs.
You always make me think. Thank you.
We could start by making the network provision a "public good" and returning to a policy of "net neutrality" . That way the "public" could charge "transit fees" to the sites wanting to use it to reach the people. Many sites would continue on an ad financed basis none the less but at least it would be profits funding it and not our pockets.
Google. Apple. Facebook. uh.... Amazon. Microsoft? FAMGA? MAGAM?
Good comment, however.
You got 'em. And all the others with a similar mentality and objectives.
Stuart, you have probably already seen this article, but if not, it's worth a look. By Shoshana Zuboff, "The Coup We Are Not Talking About", NYT Sunday Review, 29 Jan 2021.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/opinion/sunday/facebook-surveillance-society-technology.html?searchResultPosition=1
Outstanding article. Thanks
Subscription got in the way so i'll look for it elsewhere.
I have found my NYT on-line subscription ($4/month?) to be worth every penny.
I've copied it to WORD and can attach it to an email and send it to you, if you can indicate an email address. Don't know if this is kosher or not.
Stuartattewell@gmail.com...many thanks David.
WOWOW!!! Thank you for this. Wow.
Excellent suggestions, but we will have to undercut the misinformation that education and propaganda are one and the same.
That's a bit difficult as history is mostly written by the "winners".
On reflection and reading comments below and David's NYT article below, i would add a 5th point to the above ways to bring the Data World elephants to heal and that would be
-----all data that people give permission to capture must be remunerated and the price be regulated.
Excellent! May I copy and share your four remedies?!
Of course, MaryPat. No problem.
I mean your remedy of 4 things.
Now 5 things!
"It doesn’t matter, Dr. Lin pointed out to the subcommittee today, whether foreign actors are working in concert or in parallel with American actors when they spread disinformation: the destabilizing effect is the same." When it is "foreign actors" it is cyber warfare. When it is domestic actors joining with foreign actors, it is treason.
I sure would like to see some treason charges brought up, soon! People can understand that word.
Or sedition--these are slippery legal terms.
That would be the problem. Appropriately, the bar for bringing either charge is very high. Of course, it's illegal just to be an unregistered agent of a foreign power, which is probably what Rudy will be charged with, so there is that. Much easier to prove, much easier to convict.
So glad to see your post tonight. It would appear that the legal system is doing what the Republicansrefused to do — examine the evidence. It is my hope that this is only the opening salvo in a “war” against disinformation.
The previous “legal” system was lead by one of the criminals. I am so looking forward to the indictment of Bill Barr!
If he calls on any one of the first ten amendments to rationalize any of his behavior while at the DOJ, I hope someone reminds him of his speech at one of the right wing think tanks (can't remember which one at the moment - I was cleaning out a cat box when a heard it) when he said he believed the Constitution did not need the Bill of Rights.
Sic 'em, Bulldog Garland!
QAnon has "Made in Moscow" stamped all over it.
Putin and his quite capable team of hackers and trolls must be astounded at the gullibility of so many Americans that so far-fetched a tale as spun through the QAnon digital avatar has been swallowed whole by so many. Baby eaters, fergawdsakes!
It will be difficult, maybe impossible, for many of those taken in by QAnon and all the other "alternative facts" promoted by the Republican mis-information media industrial complex to admit at some point that they've been hornswoggled. It's not easy admitting you've been completely fooled.
Still, it's good to see the DOJ, through its investigation into L'Affair Ukraine, beginning the process of disassembling the ediface of lies constructed under the previous administration.
The moment you realize that someone has conned you an involuntary rage against the injustice and humiliation surges within you. It's a response based in the deepest part of our brains, like the fight-or-flight response. As a foundational part of our subconscious, it is present even before we admit we've been fooled. So it is the glue that sticks misinformation in the mind, the unspecified apprehension that we might be duped.
This makes me think of lessons I taught in the classroom about the lizard brain and how conspiracies feed our evolved need to fear predators (i.e. things that threaten us like "liberals" who will eat our children). Sadly, people don't stop to question, "Wait, is this real? Logical? Fact based?" As a result, they don't admit to being conned or fooled. They just absorb it into their consciousness and continue on. Until the next bit of misinformation and the confirmation of their biases continues.
I watched a handful of friends fall under the qanon spell just like that, Betsy. Swallowing one tiny crumb of misinformation and lies at a time. Plus, there was the thrill of knowing that they had access to that 'secret information' and the excitement of looking for the next clue that kept them hooked and digging for more.
It's like a slow drip, drip, drip until it consumes them. Just smacking my head.
Yep ... the dopamine center!
I think this is right on. It's worth remembering always that looking for clear motives from the Russians is futile; they don't have any overarching goal except disruption and they'll take it whenever and however they can get it. They were glad Trump became president, but I don't think they had that as a goal (at the time it was too far-fetched to hope for) but backed him because they knew he would be a disruptive force no matter what. His election must have delighted them no end.
Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West
Book by Catherine Belton
"Another source, defending Putin’s tenure as the deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, took a cooler approach. Asked about a local politician named Marina Salye who found evidence of corruption in the so-called oil-for-food scheme that Putin oversaw in the early ’90s, he didn’t bother to deny her findings; he just rejected the very idea that her findings mattered. “This all happened,” he smugly acknowledged. “But this is absolutely normal trading operations. How can you explain this to a menopausal woman like that?”
Belton suggests that this is the kind of two-pronged strategy the Kremlin has used to pursue its interests at home and abroad: Deploy threats, disinformation and violence to prevent damaging secrets from getting out, or resort to a chilling cynicism that derides everything as meaningless anywa."
I'm beginning to see where TFG got the inspiration for his more offensive remarks from.
From a review of Belton's book. Adding it to my pile.
"a menopausal woman"
And yet, she persisted.
Grrrrr. Which is why Heather can't quit writing and we can't quit reading - and commenting and donating and campaigning and posting and...
https://us.macmillan.com/author/catherinebelton/
We Americans continue to be naive.
I used to say “naive”
I used to say “uninformed “
Now I accept stupid
The amazing part of that acceptance for me is just how many there are.
The baby-eating in particular stinks of the land of anti-Semitic pogroms - that is a very old trope.
And do I understand this part correctly: The FBI was ready to execute this raid at Slippery Snake Guiliani’s home before Biden took office but the Trump administration squashed that effort? I for one am actually relieved that Merrick Garland is the AG. An absolute snub to the GOP for not conducting a Senate hearing on his Supreme Court nomination. A talented individual who hopefully will operate with integrity and above the fray.
I think it's a mixed blessing that Garland did not make it to the SCOTUS. He's exactly the person for this huge job he has now. He'll round up as many scumbags as possible in the shortest amount of time possible, I'm sure.
Garland will be the greatest AG of all time if..
Garlands family escaped Stalin’s Eastern Europe’s purges in the 1930s. Now he’s in charge of prosecuting crimes by Americans in Eastern Europe related to another Russian dictator. Is the arc of justice like a boomerang?
Ted 100%!
Wow.
Two-way tie, my man
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_T._Akerman
Laurie, and it is likely that the Repugnicans held up his confirmation for several weeks in order to get daylight between the former guy and this investigation.
This is the clearest explanation of this whole dirty little game that I’ve heard. As well as how destructive it is. At last, I get the full picture. Thank you, Heather.
Thanks again for the clear summary. Let us all remember, the mechanism at work on the Fox News, OAM etc. side is still the same as it was when DT was in office. It's called projection - a term originally from psychoanalysis but easily transferred to the political sphere. The mechanism works quite simply: Whatever they accuse "the other side" of doing is exactly what they are doing themselves. Combined with displacement (another term from psychoanalysis, here as in,"what about"ism and also "look at the shiny object over there", sent daily to media once they are onto their game), and you have a fairly straightforward summary of the media strategy at work. Apply just a tiny drop of healthy scepticism to this lurid mixture, and their own discourse becomes an excellent source of clues about their own wrongdoing. Looks as though the FBI figured this out some time ago, with or without the fancy lingo.
The projection was so much like my Ex, a good friend would point it out and say you know what this is like to be around. Toddler in chief was so transparent and telling exactly what he was up to! Just had to listen when he was pointing the finger at the others and see what he was blaming them of.
I so do love listening to Biden with his sane speeches and little slip ups. That I can relate to and forgive and forget. Aww!
But to so many who grew up in homes like this, the lies and blaming, and gaslighting is what feels normal and comfortable and is exactly why they cling to it and cannot hear beyond it.
Yes: classic moves of abusers as well, which those of us on the receiving end of familial, spousal, etc. abuse recognize pretty quickly.
Yes, it is karma that Merrick Garland is the AG. Great turn of events. And, while he has too much class, doesn’t have the time, inclination, or attitude I’ll say it for him “payback is a .....”
Rachel Maddow has been following the story of “Lev and Igor” for years. She and Heather are both skilled in their respective mediums in putting the pieces together for clarity. The trump cabal did a huge disservice to Ambassador Yovanovitch. With Merrick Garland at the helm her, on the record, testimony has an excellent chance of being the final nail in Giuliani’s proverbial coffin.
Next, the laser focus needs to turn on trump for his role (and that of all his minions) in Ukraine and January 6th. But, it must not be dragged out...this is not a young group of criminals!
It also must not be dragged out because, as we all know, time softens outrage, and gives ample time for the rewriting of the true facts. IMHO, justice must be swift or we will most assuredly relive the horror that was DT, and the events of Jan 6.
The insurrectionist scum of Jan 6 were much younger than their puppetmasters, but so far it's the rabble paying the price. Cast thy nets widely, ye DOJ fishers of men.
This story about the Trump administration and the Russian intelligence services working "in concert or in parallel" also heralds, in my humble opinion, the obsolescence of RICO and conspiracy law, historically some of the most potent legal weapons against corrupt cabals seeking to foment crimes and weaken institutions. With the rise of Facebook and it's ilk, conspirators no longer have to meet in secret or exchange covert messages; all one has to do is post a dog-whistle message on Facebook. Revolution and insurrection has become crowdsourced -- there never has to be any direct conspiracy to effect nefarious plans.
I recall spotting a specific instance of this from Turkey a few years ago, where a dominant party functionary posted a social media message declaring an opposition figure an "enemy of the people," or some such nebulous charge, calling for supporters to find him, beat him to a pulp, and deliver him to party headquarters. Sure enough, the man was spotted and attacked within a few hours.
Now, doxing and disinformation have become favored tools for violent militias, ideological fanatics, and the moneyed interests that profit from chaos and weakened social institutions. Law and policy will have to evolve to catch up, and I suspect that will require a relaxing of privacy interests and a strengthening of trust in law enforcement entities. For all that we've seen horrible abuses by police and some law enforcement agencies, there are far worse actors out there, domestic and international, and we need those institutions to fight back.
Your statement that (paraphrased) the rise of unfettered and unregulated opinion of large social media platforms (as well as their offshoots catering to the extreme fringes) has rendered the ability of RICO to investigate and prosecute obsolete is fascinating to me. I think your assessment is spot on. I have seen how hard it is for the laws/statutes to catch up with advances in crimes. (In my little world, the damages and ravages of the crime of having one's driver's license/SSN stolen and used to steal a person's identity far outweighed the statutory crimes of theft of two documents totaling less than $50 that was all that could be charged. The crime of Identity Theft created in the late 1990's was initially a misdemeanor, bumped up to a felony, and has now been augmented to stealing information via any means of a person's identity.) It has taken 20 years for the statute to catch up to the severity of the conduct. Your point is well made here.
I hope that there is some addressing of defining conduct such as we saw on 6 January, as we are seeing with the Republican Party in Arizona, and other things that happened within this administration. Treason as it exists in the minds of the people is very different from treason as it is defined constitutionally and statutorily. The conduct that has been engaged in by our congress critters needs to be articulated as criminal.
Unfortunately, laws always seem to be at least a decade behind the technology. IMHO there should be an R&D group in the DOJ looking at this.
'Tis so hard to bring the ones who make and enforce the law, under the law, isn't it?
Wow ... you nailed it. I've been saying this for a long time. Social media is a menace to society and reason. Nearly 60 years ago the Republican party began its love affair with disinformation and flight from facts. It grew larger and more powerful with Gingrich whose genius (tongue-in-cheek) was understanding how to destroy opponents through subtle suggestions (some not so subtle) and lies. Like Pandora when she tried to shove misery back into the box, it was "too late" ... lies, fear, envy, hate were unleashed on humanity. Not that the R's cared. Is there hope for us to return to reason, fact, and truth? The R's now resort to more childish lies (i.e. banned meat, children's books) because they have nothing else, all while the truth (i.e. Trump, Jan 6, Gaetz, Johnson, Cruz) just pools around their feet. Those of us who still believe in truth, in fact checking, in logic and reason, are hoping the will drown in their cesspool, but the fact that their base still believes unfailingly that the election was stolen speaks volumes.
I once heard about an old campaign technique of hiring a couple of guys in suits to spend all day riding up and down the elevators in office buildings. Whenever someone else gets on the elevator, wait three beats, then one of them says to the other, "Hey, did you hear about the investigation they've started on (target's name)?" His companion immediately says, "Shh, you shouldn't talk about that here." The first one says, "Oh, sorry." Repeat the process as needed.
That seems to sum up the entire investigative technique of Fox News.
Like the kids game sitting in a circle, whispering and sharing. By the time it reaches the end, it's nothing like it was in the beginning.
Really Frigging SAD, huh????😡
Yep. RFS. :(
I think this is absolutely correct, in particular noting "the moneyed interests that profit from chaos and weakened social institutions." They have no overall goal; disruption is the whole game. They benefit from the chaos.
No need to go overseas to find information warfare. We have some of the worlds finest in Newsmax, OAN, Tucker Carlson, the Former Guy, on and on and on.
All y'all do the heavy lifting here, info and analysis-wise. I provide color commentary.
Because there is so much trumpian back story and so many villains, it's been easy to back-burner some of the essential history re trump's destructive administration. This particular HCR letter alerted me to how careless I've become about my personal recollections. Ergo, this particular focus today:
18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy
"If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both."
What bothers me most is this Code's "not more than twenty years." Nevertheless, what say the U.S. plan to put its southern border jails/cages/detention residences to far, far better use?! That said, a final question: "When?"
Thanks for diving into the US Code for this definition. Sadly, the "when" isn't moving nearly fast enough for most of us. These investigations are incredibly complex, and must be done right in order for the charges to stick.
Aye, there's the rub. Meanwhile, underground trumpism continues on its seditious path. We all know or at least suspect that. And so, we wait.
Good morning everyone! I find it super interesting that we in this forum have been talking for several days about the infiltration of the community by Russian trolls and bots--who (I find this a bit amusing) are outraged when we accuse them of being Russian trolls, hacks, and bots--and this parallels the news cycle that also piques HCR's interest. Art imitating life, eh? I also admit to looking forward to seeing all the scumminess of the scumbag Giuliani revealed and I do hope that he folds like a cheap suit (as Michael Cohen suggests he will) and that the former guy gets covered in the filth that follows.
In the meantime, I have my last calm weekend before the last week of term and the grading frenzy begins, so I am going to enjoy it in my garden and with the dog. Have a great weekend everyone! I will check in on all of you periodically because, well;, I can't resist!
Good morning, Linda. Isn’t it good to know that we can relax over a weekend knowing that an idiot isn’t in charge of the country? Not that we can totally relax; perhaps just catch our breath. I wish I had a dog. I do have my flowers and my hungry birds (a charm of finches) to feed and enjoy.
And we are glad you can’t resist, Linda.
Have a great weekend, Linda. Give that fine dog of yours a scratch for me!