The Pentagon's propaganda activities -- what it now euphemistically refers to as "military information support operations" (MISO) -- have a long history of both using trickery and deception to provide incredible tactical advantages in some cases, and failing spectacularly in others. "When employed correctly Military Information Support Operations (MISO--formerly PSYOP [psychological operations]) as a force … Continue reading U.S. should test propaganda before using it, psy-ops commander says
Tag: disinformation
The day after NBC News aired an exclusive interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and just days before former FBI Director James Comey's highly anticipated testimony on his investigation into potential Trump administration collusion with Russia, another sensational storyline related to Russian meddling in the U.S. election emerged June 5 -- this one threatening to … Continue reading Truth, lies and Reality Winner
"I think the idea that fake news on Facebook ... influenced the election in any way is a pretty crazy idea," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said back in November, following Donald Trump's poll-defying win. A new report from the company, however, titled "Information Operations and Facebook," shows just how far the social media giant's position has … Continue reading Facebook releases ‘information operations’ report, update on govt. data requests
Alex Jones, radio show host and founder of the popular fringe news site InfoWars.com, has long been a controversial figure -- for everything from his outspoken support for President Donald Trump to his promotion of outlandish conspiracy theories such as the idea that extraterrestrial reptilian shapeshifters secretly rule the world. Jones has not only stoked … Continue reading ‘Performance artist’ Alex Jones ‘playing a character,’ his lawyer says
Following the Edward Snowden leaks four years ago that revealed extensive and detailed information on the National Security Agency's mass surveillance programs, media reports surfaced indicating that Russia’s Federal Guard Service was reverting to using typewriters and paper documents in an attempt to avoid the pervasive monitoring of the digital age. But if Russia's response … Continue reading Wikileaks ‘Year Zero’ release reveals CIA hacking capabilities
So much has been written in the wake of the U.S. presidential election on the topic of Russian propaganda that it can be hard to keep up, especially given that some of America's most supposedly-reputable news outlets such as the Washington Post have routinely published questionable material on the subject. But a few new developments … Continue reading U.S. and Russia escalate information war
Well, it's 2017, and in less than three weeks, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. This surreal situation still has many scratching their heads, wondering how it came to be. While some are coming to terms with Trump's election as a symptom of a broken system that … Continue reading Weaponizing the narrative in the information war with Russia
A major restructuring is coming to to U.S. propaganda efforts, "and it looks like one that Vladimir Putin and Qatar’s emir might well admire," writes the Washington Post's editorial board. A CEO position, to be filled by a presidential appointee, will essentially replace the bipartisan Broadcasting Board of Governors -- effectively consolidating the president's control … Continue reading Trump administration to have expanded control over propaganda agencies
Buried on the very last page of a draft document released last month by a somewhat obscure Pentagon research and development agency, the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) describes a technology that may soon join US spy agencies' online arsenal: a social media mimicry tool that can effectively pretend to be Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, … Continue reading Pentagon wants capability to mimic social media sites, search engines
The risk of foreign hackers shifting the outcome of the U.S. presidential election has likely been exaggerated. Nevertheless, officials and policy makers reportedly "do anticipate so-called cyber mischief, including the possible release of fake documents and the proliferation of bogus social media accounts designed to spread misinformation," according to NBC News. To fight back against … Continue reading US warning to Russia a real threat or PR posturing for US public?
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