Paper: Russia spread fake news to punish Clinton and undermine democracy
The Washington Post reports that the flood of fake news during the presidential campaign got a push from Russia as part of a propaganda effort to hurt Hillary Clinton’s chances of winning.
Click here for reuse options!Russia’s increasingly sophisticated propaganda machinery — including thousands of botnets, teams of paid human “trolls,” and networks of websites and social-media accounts — echoed and amplified right-wing sites across the Internet as they portrayed Clinton as a criminal hiding potentially fatal health problems and preparing to hand control of the nation to a shadowy cabal of global financiers. The effort also sought to heighten the appearance of international tensions and promote fear of looming hostilities with nuclear-armed Russia.
Two teams of independent researchers found that the Russians exploited American-made technology platforms to attack U.S. democracy at a particularly vulnerable moment, as an insurgent candidate harnessed a wide range of grievances to claim the White House. The sophistication of the Russian tactics may complicate efforts by Facebook and Google to crack down on “fake news,” as they have vowed to do after widespread complaints about the problem…
“They want to essentially erode faith in the U.S. government or U.S. government interests,” said Clint Watts, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute who along with two other researchers has tracked Russian propaganda since 2014. “This was their standard mode during the Cold War. The problem is that this was hard to do before social media.”
Copyright 2016 Liberaland
47 responses to Paper: Russia spread fake news to punish Clinton and undermine democracy
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mea_mark November 25th, 2016 at 08:04
“The problem is that this was hard to do before social media.” — It was also hard to do back then because our government wasn’t as corrupt and as controlled by the oligarchy as it is now. Really we have made it easy for them to manipulate us by subverting our system ourselves. We need to clean up our act or expect more of the same. We can start by getting rid of citizens united, restoring the Voting Rights Act and enacting election reform that gets rid of partisan gerrymandering. We are truly fools if we don’t accept responsibility for the problems we have created and try and blame foreign countries for.
Larry Schmitt November 25th, 2016 at 08:23
But since our “representatives” (they really don’t represent us, only themselves and their benefactors) benefit from the current situation (citizens united, voter suppression, gerrymandering), don’t expect them to make any changes. It’s like asking them to vote against their pay raise. Only citizens vote against their own interests.
mea_mark November 25th, 2016 at 08:30
Yup, all citizens of all parties need to unite to vote all the bastards out and put in an election reform party. Then maybe we can get back to functioning again. Until then it’s just SNAFU.
Buford2k11 November 25th, 2016 at 08:37
Mark, I love ya brother, but this is never going to happen…Shangra-la we are not…we, as a nation, are seriously divided…I mean, almost beyond redemption…there are folks on either side who don’t want unity…”unity” is a four letter word in the political world…I really don’t want to be friends with some of the Trumpers, I used to call friend…I don’t know what we are going to do…
Larry Schmitt November 25th, 2016 at 08:39
We’re at the point where we can list the problems (easy), but can’t come up with a solution. It’s like trying to solve a $20 trillion debt.
mea_mark November 25th, 2016 at 08:42
There are solutions. What is lacking is political will power to enact them.
mea_mark November 25th, 2016 at 08:41
In the end it will collapse on it’s own if we do nothing, so there is that. It would just make more sense to fix it than to let it collapse on it’s own.
Larry Schmitt November 25th, 2016 at 08:37
The basic problem is that a small minority of people vote for congress during off years. One way to get an immediate bump would be to move election day to Sunday. Even with all the hoopla on this election, only 55% of eligible voters actually turned out. That’s pitiful. A 20 year low. And even fewer vote for state houses, and they’re the ones who do the gerrymandering.
mea_mark November 25th, 2016 at 08:39
Our politicians are very uninspiring to say the least. What brand of corruption would you like please …
Larry Schmitt November 25th, 2016 at 08:40
And the donors, both corporate and individual, hedge their bets by giving to both sides.
Budda November 25th, 2016 at 09:04
The ‘problem’ is basically that half our population are below average. We have a LOT of stupid citizens.
Buford2k11 November 25th, 2016 at 10:44
yes. yes, and yes…but it still amounts to EDUCATION…most if not all of Trump’s voters were very short on civics, ethics, morals, and basic critical thinking…the gop war on education has been in the works for a while…The Koch brothers are at the leading edge of corrupting educational standards….ALEC is providing the gop controlled state houses with laws that they cannot understand, yet they continue to back these bad laws…the Russians have weaponized social media…and a minority of this nation were effectively won over to the russian side, and they are not smart enough to realize that the gop/trump/and them are now russian property..
mea_mark November 25th, 2016 at 12:15
Then we lose and our country collapses and we get taken over. If the people don’t want that to happen then they need to wake up and educate themselves. They need to think for themselves and not live in a bubble created for them by someone else.
oldfart November 25th, 2016 at 09:21
…”effort to hurt Hillary Clinton’s chances of winning”
Why would the great Russian bear want to undermine our system and manipulate our election ? Are they pis*ed off simply because our cheap “reset button” gift to them was mis-spelled and mis-interpreted or could it be the fact that the US is more able to inflict economic injury to their country ? Why were they focused on Hillary’s campaign only ?
Perhaps Putin is just as childish as tRump is or maybe China’s emergence as a contending world power is disturbing to both of them.
Would it be possible that Putin and tRump have had some master plan prior to the election to insure Russian and American world domination ?
Or could it be that Putin is simply missing the good old days ?
If one wanted to exert influence over large populations, social media would be
the best NEW way to accomplish that.
IMO, it sounds to me like (similar to a two party system control here) that Putin and tRumpster might ultimately see the need to prevent third parties from demanding a piece of their pie…or maybe my tin foil hat is getting a wee bit too tight.
William November 25th, 2016 at 09:34
The party that uses the term “commie” to show distain for anything liberal voted for a sex offender who is having a bromance with a former KGB officer. I find it interesting that the cabinet positions that seem to have Pence and his pet squirrel Donalds utmost priority deal with intelligence and national security.https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/aa6cd734e10d8588746ab6328083bfa043f76a27387ba130e98fe7d3beca7d4f.png
oldfart November 25th, 2016 at 09:39
The GOP alternative universe…
Better red than dead ?!?
Obewon November 25th, 2016 at 09:39
Under Putin $2 T Russian GDP tanked to $1 T via sanctions imposed by EU and USA. $3 T California GDP is triple Russia’s economic output and half of China’s $7 T GDP. USA’s Record $19 T Q3-16 GDP grew +4.4% via 5% of global population. American economic output is 1/4 of all $80 T+ Global GDP.
$1 out of every $4 spent on Earth is spent within U.S. borders annually.
oldfart November 25th, 2016 at 09:42
Looks to me like Putin wants an increase in his allowance. ;)
Obewon November 25th, 2016 at 09:44
Bingo! Either that or Donnies illegal escapades will be televised by his Russian blackmailers on RT, USA Today, FNC & ABC GOP TV.
oldfart November 25th, 2016 at 09:46
Mmmm, juicy !!
Obewon November 25th, 2016 at 09:25
Donnie & Putin’s Russian tactics may complicate efforts by Facebook and Google to crack down on “fake news,”-True for 46.6% of 2016 voters. They also proved “fake news” doesn’t work on Liberals 48.0% voters!
Studies prove Liberals were smart enough to factcheck. Debunking these obviously unsourced fantasy charades. Gullible Old People choose their dumbest candidates every eight years, swinging the pendulum back to nutty uncle Ben Carson’s universe.
oldfart November 25th, 2016 at 09:50
That would explain the interest in dumbing down high schools
and criticizing our fine colleges and universities for their Liberal ways… ;)
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker November 26th, 2016 at 04:21
Agreed.
Have you noted similarities between our rightwing propaganda network (Limbaugh, Hannity, FOX, Breitbart) and the message control of Putin’s regime?
It’s striking.
robert November 25th, 2016 at 09:28
Was Ed snowden the senior editor at Russia’s fake news ?
Buford2k11 November 25th, 2016 at 10:35
no…Ed warned us about this a long time ago….
RandyBastard November 25th, 2016 at 11:58
Source?
robert November 25th, 2016 at 13:28
Then decided to dodge our judicial system while he insisted the gov is the problem . It seems to me Vlad has an inside Tudor and Ed is the front runner right now until more credible name comes up.
Comicus November 25th, 2016 at 16:49
What special insight into our political system do you imagine Snowden possesses? It may be Byzantine but it is hardly opaque.
robert November 25th, 2016 at 17:07
DOJ.com or Eric holder will answer all your questions. Beyond that Ed has been asked to return to the USA with all of his stolen NSA info and he has declined several times.
You can also email secretary of state John Kerry who has also requested Ed back into the states.
That should keep you busy for a while…
Comicus November 27th, 2016 at 12:54
No, your pathetic attempt to dodge my question is easy to deal with. Their concern is the classified information Snowden has, nothing more. Neither Holder nor Kerry have stated they believe Snowden has any specialized and secret insight into the US political process, nor is it a position of the US government. If you have evidence to the contrary, provide it. The burden of proof is yours. Thanks for playing. Do not pass ‘GO’. Do not collect $200. Go directly to ‘FAIL’.
robert November 27th, 2016 at 20:36
I’m not arguing with an illiterate. Get someone to read the news to you or stop posting your moronic advise
Comicus November 27th, 2016 at 21:49
Unfortunately for you, you are correct. You are not arguing with an illiterate. When you make a claim, you must back it up. it’s not my job to do your homework. All I need to do is wait and watch you fail.
Gina Bousquet November 25th, 2016 at 17:23
I agree. He would not act intending on doing harm to democracy and favoring Trump
oldfart November 25th, 2016 at 10:36
More like a contributing editor.
robert November 25th, 2016 at 13:23
Nobody knows American politics then a punk who takes his NSA info to China then Russia for some reprisal.
I’m going with senior editor or possibly CEO
labman57 November 25th, 2016 at 10:31
Congratulations, GOP — you succeeded in putting a Moscovian Candidate in the White House.
BigD November 25th, 2016 at 12:48
We are so screwed folks.
mea_mark November 25th, 2016 at 13:09
Not necessarily. This might be what we need to wake up and take action to make sure our lives are better in the future. We really have become to complacent and let the oligarchy take over too much power. It’s time, we the people, took back that power.
amongoose November 28th, 2016 at 08:36
They slapped both parties upside the head, they had better start listening.
.
And I think I may need therapy, I’m agreeing with you way to often. :-)
mea_mark November 28th, 2016 at 08:47
Therapy can be good regardless of why you get it. If it helps declutter the mind and brings clarity of thought, go for it.
amongoose November 28th, 2016 at 09:08
Great, when is “our” first session? ;-)
mea_mark November 28th, 2016 at 10:57
You just had it, it’s now time to meditate on it.
amersham1046 November 25th, 2016 at 17:59
The Manchurian candidate, has come home to roost
Red Mann November 25th, 2016 at 19:15
Is there any possible procedure to void the election? The the 2 million vote deficit, foreign interference, the refusal to step away from his business interests, including many foreign entanglements, the lawsuits, the appointment of out and out racists and fascists to his staff and cabinet add up to what amounts to high crimes and misdemeanors. Is there nothing to save us from the gross miscarriage of democracy? Do we have to allow our democracy to be endangered because of ignorant people?
fahvel November 26th, 2016 at 03:41
Now you are talking – only problem being the people have never ever really had the choice in a national election going back somewhere in the late 18th century.
mea_mark November 26th, 2016 at 08:06
Theoretically the electoral college can refuse to elect him if he doesn’t separate himself from his business interest. If they demand it before they vote and he refuses … who knows what my happen.
fahvel November 26th, 2016 at 03:40
and of course the usa has never done any kind of cyber attacks on another country. It must be great to live in a sanitary bubble.