Russian Trolls Tried to Start a Black 'War on Christmas'

[DonViejo]

Source: The Daily Beast

Using typo-filled holiday sweatshirts and plagiarized articles, Kremlin-backed troll websites tried—and failed—to push a black Christmas boycott.

BEN COLLINS
10.31.17 5:00 AM ET

A website hosted by Russia’s “troll farm” in St. Petersburg attempted to push an African-American boycott of Christmas with articles and a line of typo-ridden merchandise last year.

BlackMattersUS, which independent Russian media outlet RBC identified as one of the most influential websites and troll accounts operated out of the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency, pushed T-shirts imploring its users to “Say no! To ho-ho-ho,” alongside a picture of a candy cane.

As representatives from Facebook, Twitter, and Google this week are set to testify before Senate and House Committees on Russian interference in the 2016 election, BlackMattersUS’ tone-deaf efforts to launch a boycott while posing as African-Americans shows the lengths the troll farm would go to try—and sometimes fail—to sow racial discord in the U.S.

The shirts are often nonsensical and filled with phrases that don’t make sense. One shirt, sold by the U.S. shirt printing company Represent on BlackMattersUS’ custom Christmas-themed store, reads “Dear Cops, Don’t Shoot—SUCK.” The phrase encompasses two candy canes and a Christmas ornament.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-trolls-tried-to-start-a-black-war-on-christmas

[Achilleaze]

1. republicans pick some really shitty, lowlife cronies to commit treasons with

If you know what I mean.

[ananda]

2. No bar too low for Reeps and Russians.

nt

[dalton99a]

3. +1

[Blue_Tires]

4. Greenwald and Snowden were unavailable for comment...

[LiberalLovinLug]

8. Gotta hand it to you BT

You are nothing if not persistent.

[Blue_Tires]

9. You've lost, bro -- At least admit you were wrong and I was right.

Learn some humility in defeat, because the healing process can't start without it...


Remember how big of a scandal this was? And this was just a few random message boards: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10025241916

Now Moscow is weaponizing black politics and have completely infiltrated Google/Twitter/Facebook and the NSA privacy stans can't even say it's a legit story??

I've got four years of receipts stockpiled -- I dare you to make me start using them...

[LiberalLovinLug]

11. Thanks for directing me to that 3 year old OP

I missed that one, thanks. Another crack job by a hard working journalist. No wonder he received the Pulitzer. Also a big thanks to Snowden for sharing that inside information to Greenwald and the world so he could write the story.
A story that reveals how its not just the Ruskies that are busy sabotaging accounts and spreading false info. It may explain why the US government, whether with a Republican or Democrat in office, wasn't too keen on opening up this can of worms in 2014, as they were using the same tactics as Putin. Too bad they didn't, as exposing how easy it was, would have maybe given FB and other social media more of a heads up sooner, and Putin may not have established his hold on social media behind the scenes as solidly, and Hillary might be President. Oh well.

I can't really defend myself for something I wrote if you won't tell me what I was wrong about. But hey, as a good will gesture, I'll do your job for you as an olive branch. I'll admit that I gave Assange too much credit. But you only mentioned a whistle blower that gave up his freedom to expose the truth about NSA eavesdropping, and a respected journalist. (and pertinent one as proven by your link) If you had mentioned Assange, I could have given you your long awaited acquiesce. Assange is an arrogant prick, which didn't ever matter to me, but that he can't admit how he was used and gladly used, by Putin, and his irrational hatred of Hillary has made me change my opinion on him. (While still supporting the Wikileaks agenda of exposing the back door secret shenanigans of the world's elite and their political stooges)

You're welcome.

BTW, I found a more up to date article. And how some orgs are thinking of ways to fight this. Thanks again to Snowden and Greenwald for getting this out there when they did. And to Canadian researchers, with support from OpenMedia.

https://arstechnica.co.uk/information-technology/2017/03/internet-surveillance-map-nsa-gchq/

[Blue_Tires]

12. More like a hack job...

Last edited Wed Nov 1, 2017, 05:42 PM - Edit history (2)

Since you aren't even in the same fucking universe as my point, I'll spell it out slowly...

So tell me, genius -- Why was that such a huge blockbuster story for Glennie and Snowflake three years ago but when Russia gets caught redhanded disseminating propaganda to 126 million people on Facebook and not only do they not give a shit, they're actively trying to say the story doesn't exist? It's the hypocrisy, my good man! The hypocrisy!!
I guess Snowden/Assange/Greenwald are perfectly 100% okay with spying and hacking theft and doxxing when it's done by anyone other than FVEY?

How does it feel seeing this grotesque level of denialism from your journalistic Jesus when we're on the cusp of the biggest political scandal maybe ever? How does it feel knowing your boy paved they way for President Trump? How does it feel knowing Glenn is bosom buddies with Putin, who is a million times worse than everything he called Obama? How does it feel seeing Glenn praise Sputnik, Breitbart and Daily Caller as legit independent news outlets? How did it feel seeing Glenn completely ignore and downplay the Panama Papers once he realized there wasn't any of the Hillary Clinton dirt he was anticipating, but Putin's money laundering WAS in them? How did it feel seeing Glenn ignore civilian deaths from RU airstrikes in Syria while screaming for a War Crimes Tribunal after we did something wrong? How did it feel seeing your Fearless Intrepid Journalist Greenwald actually DISCREDIT another NSA whistleblower who trusted him in Reality Winner and hang her out to dry all because the files she leaked went contrary to his pre-conceived "KremlinGate doesn't exist" narrative??

You decided to rattle my cage from out of nowhere so you're clearly in a feisty mood, perhaps you'd like to give debunking the HPSCI report another try? https://intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/hpsci_snowden_review_declassified.pdf Then tell me more about how you're doing my job for me, thanks... Believe me when I tell you that you will run out of links long before I do.

You seem to underestimate my resolve... You don't seem to realize just what lengths I'm willing to go? I swore to Christ I was going to have my revenge on these people (among others) if it took the rest of my life... All these things I said would come to pass are now coming to pass. I fuck with Snowdenistas on Twitter *DAILY* I fuck with those useful idiots who write for the Intercept *DAILY* I fuck with Scahill *DAILY* I fuck with Big Boss Greenwald himself *DAILY*... I'm not afraid of these fucking lowlife "journalists" who are so smug and think they're so goddamned smart yet they fold and flee lightning quick when someone calls them out on their bullshit... I break other people's mettle; they don't break mine.

[LiberalLovinLug]

13. You're the one who knocks.

I get it.
But what Greenwald is doing is due diligence. The last thing we want is another Dan Rather debacle. That we have come to a point where all skeptism and due diligence is thrown out the window both on the right and on the left, just for convenience is dangerous. Greenwald has his positions, he doesn't have to cover every angle possible. He covers angles that others are too afraid or too PC to cover. Its easy to either be all on board with Putin is the cause of all that is evil ...or the right wing outright denial of Russia doing anything. It is more difficult to find the truth somewhere in the middle. There are plenty of other reporters, and news sources that are covering Russia's FB actions. Its the tired old attempt at trying to silence opinion with "Look at those tree huggers worrying about plants when there are starving children in India!"

I suppose you are incensed by stories like this:
https://theintercept.com/2017/09/28/yet-another-major-russia-story-falls-apart-is-skepticism-permissible-yet/

That show proof of over-hyping the extent of proven Russian involvement. In that article you can see denials from state officials about any proof of hacking...(at least not yet). Again, the last thing those that want the truth to come out need is to give the fascists any more ammunition to use to blanket white wash everything with name Putin or Russia in it. Because there is no doubt that Russia did interfere in proven ways like FB, and it COULD be worse, hacking machines and the like, but a lot of the more extreme accusations haven't been proven. And all the right needs is to debunk ONE small tangent, and they'll have their propaganda arms in the TV and radio media declaring victory.

As Glenn puts it in that article:
"simply wanting to see evidence for official claims about Russia is proof, in many quarters, that one is a Kremlin agent or at least adores Putin – just as wanting to see evidence in 2002, or questioning the evidence presented for claims about Saddam, was viewed as proof that one harbored sympathy for the Iraqi dictator"


And please, offering the Republican and Dem hawk dominated report on Edward Snowden? Even perusing it briefly I see statements like "the damage inflicted by Snowden remains unknown" and their laughable acrobatics to prove he wasn't a real whistleblower. Also failing to mention he would not be given a fair public trial if he returned because he'd not be able to use the whistleblower defense.
https://www.democracynow.org/2016/9/15/what_would_happen_to_nsa_whistleblower
"Under the act, “it would literally be inadmissible for [Snowden] to tell the jury his motivations,” argues Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation."
But I'm sure you knew that.

I really must go out now.

Maybe we can settle in on the ice on Saturday when the Penguins meet the Canucks. Although I'd say your team has a big advantage.

[Blue_Tires]

14. I missed the part where Timm passed the Bar Exam

and since Snowden is on the BOD of Timm's foundation, he isn't exactly an impartial observer... At least find me some stuff that *ISN'T* from people who have a financial stake in maintaining the fraud...

Nice job skipping over the parts of the report exposing Snowden as a braggart and a cheat and a quintessential whiny millennial snowflake egotist who FAILED the training exam on handling classified info and clearly grabbed what he could without 1. Understanding what he was stealing and 2. Bothering to read any of it -- Two factoids that directly prove that Snowden's first stories were flat-out lies... What's most telling is that Snowden's own response to the report was lukewarm at best... He was mostly crying because the timing of the report was going to ruin the opening weekend of his hero-worshipping movie (which nobody went to see anyway -- Guess even for the general public the bloom is off the rose?)

So tell me, how much "due diligence" did Glenn Motherfucking Greenwald do when his people were so fucking sloppy they practically broadcast to the authorities that Reality Winner was the leaker? She got arrested before they even wrote the story! This is the same Greenwald who still screeches to this day that Washington somehow engineered a coup in Brasilia and his ONLY evidence is one phone call and one meeting (and he has no proof of what was discussed, only speculation), so tell me more about his "due diligence". Where was this "due diligence" when the RWers started spreading the false rumors about Chelsea Clinton running for president? OH MY LORD you should have seen Glenn's now-deleted TL when he assumed that was real! How many more of these do you want me to type? I can fill up a phone book... And feel free to address them at any time...

And I don't know why you keep insisting that Snowden is a "whistleblower" when that was proven to be patently false beyond ALL doubt over two years ago... I don't know how the law works in Canada, but whistleblower justifications only work when leaking stuff that is illegal and it's in the public interest to know it. Snowden grabbed a million files he couldn't possibly comprehend and told other people to figure them out -- First, it was Chinese Intelligence in Hong Kong so they could verify to the world he was legit, then it was Greenwald and the Guardian, and finally the "friends" at the Russian Embassy in Hong Kong... And no, Snowden is not legally protected by any law in the books just because he claims he gave them all to Greenwald and washed his hands of the whole matter; as if that makes him squeaky clean or some shit...

And because you love ignoring the fact, I'll say it once more: Exposing foreign and/or Military operations is NOT whistleblowing, nor has it ever been... There is no goddamn law anywhere that protects people in China or Iran from being spied on by us, just like there's nothing protecting you or me from being spied on by China... Snowden doesn't have a legal leg to stand on and you damn well know it... That's why it's very likely he will die in Russia a bitter, drunken mess like any other traitor.

As weak as it is, it's still disappointing to see a defense of the indefensible, i.e., Greenwald whoring out for Russia even as Putin has systematically cracked down on online freedoms (he even uses Snowden to do so, in the irony of ironies)... There's just some sick perversity when an ostensibly liberal gay Jew hates his country so much he openly apologizes for fascists and enables Nazis come to power without the slightest sense of shame... And if that wasn't enough, he's constantly fucking with the decent people on the left who ARE trying to fight Trump -- So tell me who's side is he on again?? FFS Russia and China don't even have completely open internet yet, but let those Intercept shitstains keep telling you it's heaven on Earth and the U.S. is the Great Satan...

In all seriousness, if this is the best you have and if you aren't going to meet my arguments head-on, then my time would be better spent going after the coward Greenwald directly... I usually indulge you because you're like the last person on DU with the stones to stand up to the mountain of evidence I've put together, but trying to survive under Trump rule means this isn't a simple game anymore... Folks need to start deciding which side of the line they're on.

[LiberalLovinLug]

15. You are nothing if not proliferate

I'll just skip over the parts where you seem to already have profiled Snowden's whole personality as "a cheat and a quintessential whiny millennial snowflake egotist". Your own opinion of his personality based on a creation in your head from thousands of miles away is not important. The way you are raving, I'd be careful about calling anyone else a "whiny millenial snowflake". From the times I've seen him interviewed he seems like a quite a charming affable person.

So you also have something against the Freedom of the Press Foundation? Because Snowden is on it. sigh.

You don't like that his disclosures revealed we spy on Brazil. Okay you can have that bone. But really, how much damage did that do? As if they, as any other country does, don't assume the US and everyone that can is doing it also. Hell, Brazil might be also doing the reciprocal in the US. Not shocking. And if that's all you got.....sad

Also you go out of your way to back the official authority sanctioned appraisal of Snowden as being defined as NOT a whistle blower. You know the same authorities that were embarrassed by Snowden's important disclosures.

I'd rather go with a more independent body like the ACLU, and their crack team of constitutional lawyers, and their summation on the matter:

"Edward Snowden is a Whistleblower"

https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/edward-snowden-whistleblower


Most of your arguments seem based less on facts, and more on an ingrained adherence to authoritarianism, and some bizzare kind of rage filled personality grudges where you call Snowden and Greenwald all kinds of horrible names thinking that is enough to seal their fates.
Sorry if I've pissed you off again BT, you'll have to do better than that.


Go Canucks Go!

[BigmanPigman]

5. Has anyone heard if any American troll farms exist

to do the same thing back at Russia (using some of their country's own weaknesses and hot topics)?

[Bradical79]

6. The troll farm's B team -nt

[videohead5]

7. Russian Propaganda

Targeted African Americans in Detroit and Philadelphia to suppress the vote in those cities.criticizing her about the crime bill.probably sending out crap about how she was going to win anyway.

[Oneironaut]

10. Seems like the areas that they (Russia) hit were a hodge podge of general

“outrage” issues in America, but they were based on the same inflated realities that the media creates for ratings. There is no “War on Christmas.” For this to work, the Russians would need to have created one first. Other attacks were based on ignorant beliefs or assumptions about American culture. That’s why most of the propaganda campaigns failed.

I doubt the actual effectiveness of these campaigns. I believe that the public was already divided, but 99% of these stories are recognized as fakes.