Yes.

Si

I suspect most spooks are not government. Sure there are some, but mostly it's extra-governmental interests that really put the resources out to get good intelligence on the opposition and seed distrust, fear, and divisiveness.

I want some NSA cyber spook to do an AMA on Reddit, so we can find out just how much covert Internet propaganda they engage in.

and... then they are dead.

nobody in the NSA will do it, primarily because of what they know.

...they are watched too and, in point of fact, they make a nice controlled sample population upon which the systems they build can be tested.

disclaimer: have had friends who worked at the NSA.

Aw, come on NSA cyber spooks. You know how good you are. You'll never get caught. Trip the light fantastic. Live on the edge.

This has been known for a while, and considering reddit's popularity, this is one of the first places they hit (and I'm sure r/conspiracy is a good place to start).

I doubt a lot of people add random friends on facespook whom they take seriously. Reddit and other anonymous news agregation sites are great targets.

Of course.

Yes we are.

I mean ummm ... no.

I don't have any insider info or anything, but if I was them then that's what I would do. You are making an entirely logical assumption.

[deleted]

damn...LUE is still around? I used to be on there when it was on GameFAQs.

Did noone read the HBGary leaked emails ? It spells it out for you.

There were a lot of them; can you summarize the main takeaway?

The American government is and has been for a log time actively engaging in cyber disinformation campaigns using faked social profiles.

What you are talking about is called "Metal Gear". It is a coordinated disinformation campaign undertaken by the USG to infiltrate and weaponize social media.

Consider yourself "weaponized".

Do you feel the power coursing threw your cursor?

No, but I'll have another bloody mary and get back to you.

only cointelpro would ask that.

hahaha

i'm so mentally fucked. smh

Its true though, they will track your profile, see what you look up, what your comments are like, see how much you know and then put you in a database. So when the big one goes off, you'll be rounded up. Be careful what you say on these kinds of posts.

As charlie Sheen would say, if your not with us; your just a troll!

It's a natural side effect of this type of group. If I say the Illuminati control the media, those that think it's reptilians from another planet are going to downvote it. What they don't realize is that it's the Canadians who control the media! I'm onto you John Roberts!

You must be an astroturfer. Downvote for you!

Jk. I agree that it's possible.

Astroturfer, as in a fake social network or social media profile created by an entity like the government to make trends appear where they otherwise may not. For instance, the USAF's admitted project that creates fake profiles to go onto sites like Reddit in order to create counterarguments to comments that may be critical of the Air Force's policies.

Hence why I made the sarcastic comment.

Although, it's so like COINTELPRO to make a post that makes you THINK that you're questioning the feasibility of government programs dividing and conquering Reddit with false-flag infowar tactics... so, laughquietlytomyself, I will not fall for your entrapment... NARC! Astroturfer! Rabble-Rouser! Agent-Provocateur!

I kid. I kid.

What you're suggesting is not only possible, but extremely probable.

yes we are oh shit wheres the delete button

While this certainly is a possible scenario, hold your horses and rethink your theories and arguments.

Most downvotes come from trolls, other come from people who belong to this reddit, but also think critically. Well argumented posts never get downwoted completely.

Translation:

1. They're not astroturfers, they're trolls.
2. The ones who aren't trolls are just critical thinkers making legitimate downvotes.
3. It got upvoted, therefore it's not astroturf.

Written your way it sounds reasonably convincing.

Written my way it sounds like you think we're fucking idiots or something.

What I meant by the last sentence in my prev. post was: if a post makes sense, upvotes from reasonable redditors from this subreddit usually do overcome downvotes.

I suppose that the exposure of this subreddit is too small for astroturfers to care much about it. People who work on these kind of things are more busy with designing carefully constructed official statements, which are phrased so that truth is hidden behind obfuscating phrases and adjectives, which create an impression of proficiency and excellence, while the true message carries anything like that.

Even disregarding #3, 1 and 2 are still ridiculous.

What's your opinion then? Astroturfing is possible, or not? Is it happening here, or not? Are there critical thinkers on this subreddit or not?

Yes.

http://i.imgur.com/kfWh5.jpg

The number of downvotes is astonishing though.

Agreed with everything you said except the part about it not being effective.

Unfortunately. =/

I don't think they(we) are.

OFCOURSE THEY ARE YOU DUMBSHIT! REDDIT WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP THE IP'S TO FIND YOU AND THEY PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE....

I love the fact that you lot constantly post utter nonsense, and yet when you find your content downvoted, your first thought is "its the government". Yes, that's the logical conclusion... the "government", not people who are laughing at the crap you post day in and day out.

BAhahahahahahahah...

You are all out of touch with reality if you downvote me for laughing at this post. You think the government spends time downvoting people on the /r/conspiracy subreddit...seriously? What would be the point? Now that it is known that they downvote the truth, should they upvote it?

Think about this for a few minutes. Your logic is flawed.

TLDR; BAhahahahahahahah...

TROLOLOLOLOLOLOOL

You are out of touch with reality if you downvote me for laughing at your post. You think the government turns a blind eye to a popular website that breaks news, makes Presidents, and leaks regime-changing information every other day...seriously?

Think about this for a few minutes.

"leaks regime-changing information every other day"

Point me to a post that "leaks" any info...Reddit is a secondary source.

You're nit-picking. My point is not only valid; it's practically common sense.

Why does everyone assume the government must be involved.

Maybe people don't like what their reading in r/conspiracy because it's not really conspiracy.

It's just a regurgitation of the daily news.

Why does everyone assume the government must be involved.

I don't assume it's always the government. Corporate political interests are the more likely suspects for manipulating public views anyway. Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure there are some astroturf armies at work on reddit (and elsewhere on the net).

Maybe r/conspiracy users just don't like what is being submitted.

I don't work for the gov or any corporation and I've been down voting a lot lately. I can't be the only one.

Conspiracy and paranoia are two different things.

If you don't write a comment expressing WHY you dislike something in certain terms, then your down vote is meaningless.

I wasn't addressing the voting issue, specifically. Votes happen. I was simply addressing the existence of this form of artificial participation in general.

You not being an astroturfer, and astroturfers not existing, are also two different things.

Your argument is so simple and incomplete that I find it hard to believe even you could be convinced by it.

Hence why I made the sarcastic comment.

Although, it's so like COINTELPRO to make a post that makes you THINK that you're questioning the feasibility of government programs dividing and conquering Reddit with false-flag infowar tactics... so, laughquietlytomyself, I will not fall for your entrapment... NARC! Astroturfer! Rabble-Rouser! Agent-Provocateur!

I kid. I kid.

What you're suggesting is not only possible, but extremely probable.

Its true though, they will track your profile, see what you look up, what your comments are like, see how much you know and then put you in a database. So when the big one goes off, you'll be rounded up. Be careful what you say on these kinds of posts.