[–] culofiesta 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
When I read something I find sketchy or suspicious my first thought is what would other people gain by having me believe this.
See the HAES movement and how they want everyone to lower their expectations so life will be easier for them.
Whenever someone tells me something I disagree with I put myself in their shoes and figure out how their lives would be better if I believed it.
It opens your eyes man, like whoa dude
[–] [deleted] 1 point 1 point 2 points (+2|-1) ago
[–] UncontrollableSphere [S] ago
But, for a while at least, the internet was relatively free of them. Of course they were around, but never in sufficient numbers to control the narrative of some of the largest forums for discussion online.
[–] schwanstucker 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
That is sad, but you're learning. In a sense, this was really quite predictable. the MSM got into the fray early on by heaping contempt on the "bloggers," who, they said, "don't have any credentials." And now, in the vein of "black lives matter," we find, "credentials don't matter," and "reporting is dead," and "editorializing is reporting," and so on. I wouldn't be too surprised to find that someone has developed a means of disinformation (not your word, but the correct one) that is completely automated, and posts BS every hour. I think in these days we must keep our own counsel, think with care, and be honest ourselves. That's hard to do when the opposing forces are so dishonest, and when (for example, Clinton) someone castigates their opponent for doing exactly what THEY are doing. It takes some effort to filter all this stuff out. I just hope that the mainstream of the American people (indeed, all people) DO take the time to think things through...
[–] UncontrollableSphere [S] ago
I don't think they've created a disinformation bot yet. Bots that autopost articles? Bots that autoflag negative articles? Bots that autoupvote / downvote posts? Probably.
I'm sure they have scripts that can mash-up talking points with a few clicks, but they still need human operators to make sure the sentence makes sense. But one day, bot AI will get so good that it'll blend in with the other trolls. And then real people will be outnumbered by shillbots in every online community.
[–] aileron_ron 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Hay, Would you like to rent my beach house
[–] SavePrivateRyne 1 point 3 points 4 points (+4|-1) ago
I don't know if you've watched House of Cards but the writers for that show much have some incredibly accurate information. Like, this last season talked a decent amount about manipulating search algorithms on the most popular search website and how it could basically assure a solid victory.
Then I start seeing articles pop up about Google's CEO investing tons of money into the Clinton Campaign. Then I see videos essentially proving that Google is manipulating is search in Clinton's favor.
That is so worrisome to me because who can we ever trust?
[–] crazy_eyes 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
The thing is the paid shills are really only on one side of the issues
[–] 6089916? 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
There are the obvious, over-the-top shills, but they are just providing cover for the more sophisticated and predatory shills that work in packs to use more subtle manipulation. The shilling isn't simply paid advocates - they include psyop-level coordination. https://theintercept.com/2014/02/24/jtrig-manipulation/ (the stuff related to forums are in the last 25% of the article)
[–] pitenius 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
OP, I think the same CTR are poisoning the right wing well, with "over zealous staffers" mouthing off about hot button issues in ways that make their cause look bad.
[–] UncontrollableSphere [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
And I'm sure there's an equivalent to CTR for the right wing. Not for Trump, and probably not as well organized. But I wouldn't be surprised if something like the climate change denial network has its own version of CTR.
[–] pitenius 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Oh, sure! I don't believe that political affiliation guarantees any morality. I think most of the right wing astroturfing gets done by the military. Some nation states have vested interest and capabilities. What worries me is that I don't really believe all of the morons proud to engage in race baiting are legit. Some are trolls, sure, but I think some are ... well, other people's stooges repurposing their tools for a personal agenda. Voat is convincing me of that.