Russia's Former KGB Invests In Political Propaganda Spambots

An anonymous reader writes "The newspaper Kommersant reports that the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (formerly part of the KGB) has invested 30 million roubles (USD $940,000) on 'blog and social network intelligence' programs (Google translation of Russian original). A small part of that money is used for surveillance and analytics, but 22 million roubles (USD $690,000) is invested in 'mass distribution of messages in social networks with a view to the formation of public opinion.' Which presumably can be rephrased as 'launching massive pro-Kremlin astroturfing propaganda spambots in order to stifle and undermine political dissent.' The brazen Russian government acknowledgement of this investment indicates that the Kremlin does not think of such activities to be in any way illegal or unethical. No words whether these spambots would respect any anti-spam laws or the Terms and Conditions of victim websites. But hey, now you can accuse anyone you disagree with online of being a 'KGB bot'!"

Comments

Soviet tradtions

[cold fjord]

It appears that the Russians are working to restore and update the Russian nee Soviet state's ability to conduct political warfare, which was quite powerful. Some of the lies they spread have yet to die down. Since the Russian state seems to heading back towards Soviet methods and attitudes, everyone should be concerned.

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A Soviet political warfare manual comments on 'socialist education'

Soviet methods did not spare their allies.

A Portrait of Stalin: Secret Police

Illegal ?? Unethical ??

[Taco Cowboy]

indicates that the Kremlin does not think of such activities to be in any way illegal or unethical

 
I have to confess that I did feel a little bit queasy reading what Timothy has posted
 
This world that we live in today, where "paid reviews", "forum astroturfing", "blog spamming" and "rabid fanboyism" are been actively encouraged and sponsored by for profit corporations such as Microsoft, Adobe, Apple Inc., - mainly from the Western democracies - any effort in linking Russia to similar "illegal" and/or "unethical" activities is futile
 
It was the West who have fine-tuned activities such as being described in TFA to an art-form, in the first place
 

Re:Illegal ?? Unethical ??

[jenningsthecat]

This world that we live in today, where "paid reviews", "forum astroturfing", "blog spamming" and "rabid fanboyism" are been actively encouraged and sponsored by for profit corporations such as Microsoft, Adobe, Apple Inc., - mainly from the Western democracies - any effort in linking Russia to similar "illegal" and/or "unethical" activities is futile

if you can't distinguish between private businesses and a government intelligence agency then, my friend, you're a moron.

Is that simple.

if you can't distinguish between private businesses and a government intelligence agency then, my friend, you see things as they really are and haven't drunk the corporate Kool-aid.

FTFY

Re:Illegal ?? Unethical ??

[Anonymous Coward]

You know what? Fuck you and your "Blame everything on the West and/or Democracy" attitude. I see you on here all the time posting similar crap, if you spent half your slashdot bitching time reading a history book you wouldn't make such moronic statements. People have been paying people to say crap that isn't strictly true for as long as we've had language and the concept of property ownership.
People have been shilling and lying anonymously since the invention of the written word. I'm willing to bet thousands of years ago some guy painted a picture on a cave wall that showed himself defeating three bears with a fucking knife, when in reality he stumbled across a carcass while fucking the chief's daughter in the bushes.

It was the West who have fine-tuned activities such as being described in TFA to an art-form, in the first place

Oh really? We invented propaganda? We fine-tuned its delivery? Do you have some kind of fundamental mental problem which prevents you from knowing anything about the world prior to the 19th century? Because you sure seem to have a pretty fucking poor grasp on reality.

Re:just like the US

[jcr]

No, the US government spends vastly more money on this kind of thing. $940K is barely even a rounding error in the federal propaganda budget.

-jcr