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Russian Trolls Created Facebook Events Seen By More Than 300,000 Users (cnn.com)

"Posing as American activists, Russian government-linked trolls created 129 Facebook events between 2015 and 2017," writes CNN. An anonymous reader quotes their report: On multiple occasions, the events prompted real Americans to take to the streets. In a written statement Facebook gave to the Senate Intelligence Committee released on Thursday, the social media network said that the events created by one Kremlin-linked troll group were seen by more than 300,000 Facebook users. About 62,500 users marked that they would attend the event, and an additional 25,800 expressed an interest in attending.

Facebook told Congress it does "not have data about the realization of these events," but CNN has previously found evidence that the Russian group successfully convinced Americans to attend the demonstrations. The events were organized on a range of divisive issues and were designed to pit Americans against each other.

"The company also told Congress it had removed Kaspersky Lab from a list of free anti-virus offerings it provides users."

220 comments

  1. Lolz by benjfowler · · Score: 1, Insightful

    On what planet did Putin and his cronies think the West wouldn't throw the kitchen sink at them in retaliation for the election hack?

    Did these mongs REALLY think they could hold us off forever simply by gaslighting us on Twitter? ("there is no proof of collusion, there is no proof of hacking, whatabout this, whatabout that, etc etc). So fucking stupid.

    The arrogance and naivete defies belief.

    1. Re:Lolz by AHuxley · · Score: 1, Insightful

      What "election hack?"?
      One US political leader went to more parts of the USA and gave good speeches the people in that state responded to.
      During the election they voted. The votes got counted and the vote got observed by party officials. People recalled who visited their state and gave a good speech.
      People recalled who stayed in the costal states and did not give good speeches.
      Be nice to more people all over the USA and win an election. No "election hack" needed.
      Just find a candidate who can give a long speech and has something to say thats positive in different parts of the USA.
      Voters all over the USA responded to a candidate they liked. A candidate who did not take the time to get to know their state did not win that state.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    2. Re:Lolz by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Jesus how long did you have to wait for that first post. You seem to fail to grasp the better the first post, the more likely a paid US government propagandist. Yeah the US government staged coups and murdered millions, when Russia does that in the US, then complain otherwise STFU. The US deep state is disgusting, murderous filth, held in contempt globally by all reasonable people.

      Don't first post morons, you makes you look really stupid and like you have no idea what so ever about the history of /. but keep in up, the stupid just exudes. Bloody arts students, always a pain. I will always remeber in university how the quite and peaceful the STEM https://study.com/academy/less... and how chaotic and noisy the arts and social sciences were, it was always peaceful to travel across to the STEM side. But hey, keep it up first post propagandist, woo hoo, first post, ijiot.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    3. Re:Lolz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But CNN said Ivan Ivanovich clubbed people with a bottle of vodka and stole their papers to vote in their name, and yelled "YOU GETTING HACKED BY MOTHERLAND CAPITALIST SCUM" as he left!

    4. Re:Lolz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did these mongs REALLY think they could hold us off forever simply by gaslighting us on Twitter? ("there is no proof of collusion, there is no proof of hacking, whatabout this, whatabout that, etc etc). So fucking stupid.

      Yeah, forget about proof and due process, get the pitchforks!

    5. Re:Lolz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Voters all over the USA responded to a candidate they liked.

      We the people, the citizens of the United States of America voted for Hillary. However 303 people - mostly older white rich males voted for Donald, so Donald is the president.

      ftfy

    6. Re: Lolz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Donâ(TM)t give that horse shit. The rules of the election were clear to both candidates (win more votes from the electoral college), and each candidate campaigns to win according to those rules. If it would have been a national majority, then campaign strategies would have changed. You canâ(TM)t retroactively change the rules after itâ(TM)s over.

  2. All your facebook are belong to us by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    LOL

    1. Re:All your facebook are belong to us by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No.

  3. Beautiful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just shows you how powerful social media really is.

    1. Re:Beautiful by benjfowler · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That's the dirty secret -- propaganda and astroturfing works. Social media is a dream come true for the practitioners of the Soviet-style dark arts of mass brainwashing and information-attack.

      Which makes the fecklessness and arrogance of the social media barons ("this time it's differet", "the Internet changes everything") all the more galling. They sniffed their own techno-libertarian farts, believed their own bullshit, and then, due to their obstinate refusal to come to terms with the destructive power of their platforms, nearly destroyed the republic.

      I'm not holding my breath, waiting for fucking idiots like Jack Dorsey or Mark Zuckerberg to wake up. I'm out. If Russian and Chinese security-state fascists are given a free pass to attack us, really the only thing we can do is opt out and do the only thing we can do individually to make things as hard as possible for the enemy.

    2. Re:Beautiful by bmo · · Score: 1

      >Social media is a dream come true for the practitioners of the Soviet-style dark arts of mass brainwashing and information-attack

      Two words:

      Dulles brothers.

      >social media almost destroyed a republic

      That's like blaming radio, TV, the telephone system, printing presses, etc. And how do you propose that such propaganda be stopped? You can't without tearing the First Amendment to shreds.

      It's like blaming violent video games for school shooters.

      --
      BMO

    3. Re:Beautiful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm out. If Russian and Chinese security-state fascists are given a free pass to attack us, really the only thing we can do is opt out and do the only thing we can do individually to make things as hard as possible for the enemy.

      Nowadays its easy to spot a russian troll. You just need to look for polarizing statements making the solution appear simple (see quoted example above).

    4. Re:Beautiful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The dirty secret is how gullible but "patriotic" techies were turned against "external enemy" by your government.

      You are just such idiots it is unbelievable.

      And yes, I am of Russian origin, just to save you guessing time.

    5. Re:Beautiful by mapkinase · · Score: 1

      >They sniffed their own techno-libertarian farts

      I love you.

      --
      I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
    6. Re:Beautiful by Bryansix · · Score: 1

      You know, the fallacy of the above post is that it completely ignores the fact that most of the talking points actually were generated by a handful of alternate media types like Dave Rubin, Milo Yiannopoulous, Gavin McGinnes, Steven Crowder, and even Ben Shapiro. Less important but still important were Charlie Kirk, Stefan Molyneux, Ann Coulter, Jack Posobiec, Mark Dice, and Larry Elder.

    7. Re:Beautiful by Bryansix · · Score: 1

      Not all of us are gullible. There is hope.

  4. How many by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How many other countries has the US messed with through coups outright attacks or other dirty tricks throughout the last 100 years?
    Let me help you: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_regime_change

    1. Re:How many by benjfowler · · Score: 2

      You are deflecting.

      Deflection is a Russian propaganda tactic.

    2. Re:How many by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      Jack Ryan? I thought you were a fictional character.

    3. Re:How many by benjfowler · · Score: 1

      Try harder mate.

    4. Re:How many by careysub · · Score: 3, Informative

      Whataboutism at its finest. Good work AC (anonymous comrade). It will work better next time if you at least go to the trouble to set up a sock-puppet account. Spread the word to your team.

      --
      Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
  5. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 2

    It's not a witchhunt.

  6. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Antiocheian · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's a CNN.COM article.

  7. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    That's right, it's a feeding frenzy. Definitely draws a crowd.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  8. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 0, Troll

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  9. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    That is how propaganda works. You keep repeating a lie and eventually it will become the truth. This is standard propaganda 101 so please keep up :P

  10. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 0

    Spell out then, Mr Political Scientist, how this is "leftist".

    Go ahead. I'm waiting.

    Bet you you can't. You're just full of shit, repeating political slogans like the mindless little tribalist you are.

  11. All skeptics are Russian trolls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Americans have faith in the government and the media (CNN especially).

    1. Re:All skeptics are Russian trolls by hey! · · Score: 1

      Believing a different source uncritically doesn't make you a skeptic. It just makes you another kind of fool.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    2. Re:All skeptics are Russian trolls by benjfowler · · Score: 1

      Uhhh, it's called media literacy. You might have heard of it?

  12. Chill by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 4, Insightful

    On what planet did Putin and his cronies think the West wouldn't throw the kitchen sink at them in retaliation for the election hack?

    Did these mongs REALLY think they could hold us off forever simply by gaslighting us on Twitter? ("there is no proof of collusion, there is no proof of hacking, whatabout this, whatabout that, etc etc). So fucking stupid.

    The arrogance and naivete defies belief.

    First of all, chill. The purpose was to get people riled up and divisive, and by being outraged you are playing into their hand.

    Furthermore, if you are outraged don't propagate by posting about it - that just amplifies the effect.

    Secondly, does this de-ligitimize at least one major riot here in the US? Was there (at least) one instance where US people did not feel strongly enough to protest, but were egged on by outside influences?

    Doesn't that mean that there is *less* discontent in the US than what might be inferred from protests?

    1. Re:Chill by benjfowler · · Score: 1

      Just spelling out some home truths for some of our Putinist friends here.

    2. Re:Chill by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      Are you being a posterchild for divisiveness ironically, or is it just a 24/7 state of being for you?

    3. Re:Chill by benjfowler · · Score: 1

      If being forced to choose between not being divisive, or punching a fascist -- I'll punch the fascist.

    4. Re:Chill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're a nazi dickisser faggot okie, fact. You are a willing traitor.

    5. Re:Chill by Boronx · · Score: 1

      We sure wouldn't want to create any divisiveness with foreign powers who want to manipulate our elections.

    6. Re:Chill by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 1

      First of all, chill. The purpose was to get people riled up and divisive, and by being outraged you are playing into their hand.

      If Americans can stop calling each-other Nazis and snowflakes, and instead unite around Fuck Putin, I'm okay with that.

    7. Re:Chill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If being forced to choose between not being divisive, or punching a fascist -- I'll punch the fascist.

      Unfortunately "fascist" has been degraded by now to simply mean "anyone who doesn't agree with me." Those AntiFa jackasses are no better than the people they claim to fight are most are just using it as an excuse to go riot.

    8. Re:Chill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      First of all, chill. The purpose was to get people riled up and divisive, and by being outraged you are playing into their hand.

      The purpose was to get people riled up and defensive at each other. To be outraged at THEM is a major backfire, but maybe one they can live with if the role of the US shrinks due to infighting.

    9. Re:Chill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Okie faggot is a nazi supporter.

    10. Re:Chill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Was there (at least) one instance where US people did not feel strongly enough to protest, but were egged on by outside influences?

      Sure there were. They got the left out on the streets and they got the right out on the street. Well actually with that last event, they got both sides out on the street. Just for a start.

      Obviously people already felt strongly, but those protests didn't arise spontaneously. Those feelings were deliberately amplified and those people were "egged on" by outside influences who went so far as to organize the events.

      ... chill. The purpose was to get people riled up and divisive, and by being outraged you are playing into their hand. Furthermore, if you are outraged don't propagate by posting about it - that just amplifies the effect.

      This, OTOH, is wisdom talking. And actually, it's OK if your fellow citizen has different political opinions ... it's great in fact! Would you like to live in a country where that wasn't allowed?

  13. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by alvinrod · · Score: 1

    I don't think the user base here is heavily leaning (at least not to the extent that most online communities are) in one direction or the other based on comments posted here, though I suppose you could claim that the editors have a particular leaning.

    I suspect that they post these articles not out of any particular political allegiance, but simply because they get more traffic and therefor generate more revenue.

  14. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Four Trump campaign and administration officials have been charged with serious crimes.

    Two have already plead guilty.

    Donald Trump committed treason with Russia, and committed obstruction of justice in his cover-up.

    Holding criminals accountable for their crimes isn't a witch hunt.

    It is also our duty as Americans to protect our country from traitors, like Trump who conspired with Russia's attacks on our country, and his supporters who willfully refuse to see the evidence of his treason.

  15. Re:Why is Hillary not in prison? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Arabs bought Slashdot through the front called "Bizx, LLC." Why these Arabs are pushing blatantly baseless propaganda is anyone's guess.
     
    Who is funding these Arabs? Who is behind it all?

  16. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The US would be a land of harmony and zero social division, governed perpetually by enlightened Democrats who are our intellectual superiors, if only Russia hadn't bought 100k worth of Facebook ads.

  17. Devil Made Me Do It by mentil · · Score: 1

    If the Devil lights your cigarette, can you blame him when you choose to inhale?

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
    1. Re:Devil Made Me Do It by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

      If the devil engages in a multi-billion dollar campaign designed to call into question the dangers of cigarette smoking while targeting mentally vulnerable people for said campaign then, yes. Yes you can.

      --
      Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    2. Re:Devil Made Me Do It by bmo · · Score: 1

      >mentally vulnerable people

      The American Public are retards? That's your argument?

      >looks at Trump

      I think you have a point.

      --
      BMO

    3. Re:Devil Made Me Do It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where's the evidence for this so called multi-billion dollar campaign of which you speak? Only the Clinton campaign came close to spending a billion dollars during the election, not counting all of the collusion with the main stream media that gave her nearly unlimited positive air cover. There's no evidence of any numbers like that from any other group inside or outside the election.

  18. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays :P

  19. Sounds like fun... by wolfheart111 · · Score: 1

    I can see someone doing that just for shits and giggles... and there are many of those folks. Lolz

    --
    [($)]
  20. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    Impressive, how many lies you've managed to cram into one sentence. Going for the world record, son?

    Russia spends upwards of $US1b on computation propaganda and information warfare every year. We know that the FSB is emptying out Russian universities of anybody who can contribute to their information warfare campaign. It has been noticed. And it won't go unpunished.

  21. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    And there are zombie accounts that hatch like little reptiles with modpoints. It's how creimer gets his spam links modded up. It's also why all of the sensible posts are modded down.
     
    Notice how two years ago you could say something and not be modded down purely because someone disagreed you? Remember two years ago when all the stories were actual attempts at tech news and not biased anti-Russian spam?

  22. hippo critters by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Good thing it's only Russia that does this, otherwise we would live in a fully destabilized world. I mean, could you imagine if other great powers had propaganda/saboteur campaigns going on across the world, or did other things to rig elections in their nations interests. Whew, good thing it's just the Russians doing this and not the good guys. Glad we caught 'em. Good job Lou.

  23. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Parent posts demonstrating the two truths and a lie technique. The reddit-style one sentence per line formatting makes it a weaker post than it could have been, so take care to learn from his mistakes.

  24. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 0

    Slashdot has always been a cesspool of moderator abuse. If you think otherwise, you haven't been paying attention at all.

    "Biased"..... oohhhhhh, you sweet summer child :-) There is no obligation for balance, or even pro-Putin false balance here. The editors can be as "biased" (waaaaaaah!!) as they damned well like, and there's there's NOTHING you can do about it.

  25. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Care to post how much US spends on the same item? Just, you know, to be fair and balanced.
    US played the same game for decades, since radio was invented. Same as Russia.

  26. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was going to say something similar but you beat me to it. Why does /. keep running these pointless stories about "the Russians rigged teh election!!!1!11!"? Isn't this supposed to be "news for nerds", and not "pointless political bullshit that is a duplicate of 100 other stories in recent memory"?

  27. Oh no, Facebook events! by ScentCone · · Score: 0

    It's a miracle I haven't felt the urge to drive around town attending all of the FB events that show up on my newsfeed. It's almost as if seeing an event listed in that way doesn't compel me to change my mind about a candidate or a policy issue. Amazing! But somehow it probably still cost Hillary the election, I'm sure. I'll check with Rachel Maddow for confirmation on that.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  28. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well I appreciate it because it confirms a personal belief I've been holding since the elections: Russia (the nation.. not the "people") has been playing both sides of the board. A divided USA would be nothing but beneficial to them. A new civil war (wishful thinking on their part) would be a wet dream come true. The same assholes you see screaming about Trump are the same assholes you see screaming about Clinton. Both sides want to create bandwagons to "stop" the other.

  29. Or just old by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    it's a fact that as people age they lose mental facilities. It's called "Age related cognitive decline' and there's a lot of effort going into studying it. Thing is, most folks think about people getting older and jump straight to Grandpa forgetting where his keys are style Alzheimers. But there's a huge range in the amount of decline. Grandpa might know where his keys and he might know the different between reality and fantasy on a moment to moment basis, but his critical thinking skills might have atrophied to the point where he has trouble questioning his biases.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:Or just old by bigwheel · · Score: 1

      It also happens in the other direction. According to http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2...

      Quote
      These days, a consensus of neuroscientists agree that brain development likely persists until at least the mid-20s – possibly until the 30s.

      The fact that our brains aren’t developed until the mid 20s means that “legal adults” (those age 18+) are allowed to make adult decisions, without fully mature brains. Someone who is 18 may make riskier decisions than someone in their mid-20s in part due to lack of experience, but primarily due to an underdeveloped brain. /Quote

  30. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    Apples and oranges, son.

    Transparent public diplomacy, and Russian-style covert information warfare are completely different. The US budget for that kind of public outreach is a miniscule fraction of Russia's spend on covert information warfare.

    It's completely pointless comparing the two.

  31. Who's really responsible for the events "success"? by SeaFox · · Score: 0

    Call me crazy, but no one forced these people to go to these events. Were the meetups for the same political topics in person that they were advertised as? Was there some "bait and switch" thing going on here? Did people leave when they found things aren't what they expected?

    If these participants all got together and found solidarity in their shared views, then I'd say the events functioned exactly as they should -- regardless of who organized it. Maybe the people who went are just embarrassed to admit to the sometimes racist, xenophobic, or religiously intolerant viewpoints that brought them all together.

    If they want to see who "trolled" them, I believe they will find the individual in the bathroom mirror.

  32. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why not? Russia's information warfare campaign is fascination and world-changing, and VERY interesting to nerds. After all, most of the vectors of Putin's information assault on the West are enabled by the Web and social media.

  33. So.. by fred911 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Some make believe accounts made some make believe events that other accounts (make believe or not) said they were going.

      "not have data about the realization of these events," WFT, CNN?

      A reporter reports about half the story, how hard can it be to research if these said "events" were real or not? My guess, none ever happened. But, isn't a quality news report one that has the complete story? This report isn't sufficiently researched to have any utility besides stirring the pot.

    --
    09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B - D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    1. Re:So.. by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      If you just finished reading the sentence you quoted...

      but CNN has previously found evidence that the Russian group successfully convinced Americans to attend the demonstrations

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  34. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    / Which fucking adults? Oh, you mean the people who became multi-millionaires while in public service? Those adults? The ones who played with theimselves while ISIS conquered large fractions of the middle east? Oh,, no, you mean the ones who gave 7 billion dollars to a terrorist regime that triggered the rise of ISIS by creating their own Iranian controlled militias all over Iraq and Syria..

  35. Re:Why is Hillary not in prison? by benjfowler · · Score: 0

    You know what we call Arabs and Russians killing each other?

    "Self cleaning oven" :-D

    Hope Putin and his fascist buddies get reamed in Syria. You break it, you own it moskals ;-)

  36. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    LIke the 20k emails? Or maybe the server that should not have existed? How about the dude deleting emails that should not have been? The smashed phones? Or the emails that talk about blaming russia? Or the billions missing from haiti?

    As fun and serious as watching that?

  37. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    NICE!! you wont find much unbaised posts here. US propaganda = GOOD, Russian propaganda = BAD.

    But i'm with you and do love these posts.. as you said, the US has been doing the exact same thing for decades against many countries, but the US citizens seem to have a serious issue when it is done to them? They didnt seem to mind having decent democratically elected leaders thrown out to bring in tyrants in the name of "freedom".

  38. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism WHAT ABOUT MUELLER and the cancelled golf membership, the REAL scandal? Haha, just enjoy watching Trump go to prison, it's going to be his best TV role ever! Certainly his longest. :D

  39. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How is it an apple vs orange? you posted how much the Rusians spend on propaganda, they just asked how much the US spends.

    Seems to be an appple vs apple?

  40. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    The West doesn't carpet bomb entire villages with dumb ordinance, WW2-style like the Russians do.

    Go figure.

  41. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ok then.
    We know that Hillary rigged the DNC, and the Russians were the ones who exposed it.
    We know Russian trolls used social media to shitpost. We suspect it may have had an influence. But nobody has determined how much, or if it actually had any effect in any State.

    So the Libs have been pumping stories speculating that Trump put Russia up to it, and bury the Hillary story. They also pretend like Russia hasn't done the same damn thing for Years.

  42. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    rtfa

  43. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's a fucking witchhunt generated by a secret society of FBI agents (their fucking words) and paid for by Democrats. It's never been remotely POSSIBLY true. If you weren't so blinded by bias, you'd stop and think for a moment: what would Trump or Putin gain by actually colluding? Neither would gain a goddamned thing, that's what, except risk. Any agreement they came to could be rendered moot by either party at any time, the ultimate in idiotic and unenforceable contracts. Candid comments by people working on it also show that no one ACTUALLY takes it seriously at all. It's a witchhunt, a bunch of people spending tens of millions of dollars to try to find some procedural error to slap Trump with, and to keep the Democrat base motivated.

    Anyone who believes this is anything beyond that has either not thought about it much, or is plain simple.

  44. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm convinced there is Russian propaganda on this site. Any time someone mentions Trump might be guilty of something, the protective crowd leaps to attention. Even your post, "The Russians did far more to help Hillary" is yet another denial.

    I find it very hard to believe that the actual Slashdot user base who began as liberal freedom-for-software advocates in support of democrats are now nationalist racists who support Trump. Even the AGW denial on here appears to be propaganda. I don't believe it one bit.

  45. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    Hey, don't like it? TOO BAD.

    The world doesn't owe Russia "fairness" or "respect". Russia is NOT equal to the West. Russia is a pissant with terrible demographics, rampant crime and corruption, and an economy smaller than Italy's.

    In what universe does Russia get to demand to be "equal" to America?? Dream on!!

    Russia gets no respect, because it is run by a bloodthirsty fascist who is morally depraved on just about every axis you want to compare with the West.

    Attacking us won't earn you respect either. It'll earn you an epic punishment beating (which is coming your way, mark my words), but NO respect.

    We're not going to turn around after years of Putin's fascist bullshit and say, "O great Putin! Forgive us! We are not worthy! You are our equal!". Doesn't work that way. And BOY, are these arrogant Russian wankers who think that in for a rude awakening!

    Stamping your feet and holding your breath like an angry toddler does not change facts.

  46. 300,000, That's it? by OYAHHH · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Look, I'll admit I'm a rank amateur up front. But I reached 1,000,000 eyeballs during the 2016 election.

    If the Ruskies can only pull off 300,000 eyeballs then I am pretty damn impressed with myself.

    --
    Caution: Contents under pressure
    1. Re:300,000, That's it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I knew there were dozens of Russian sock puppets here on /., but I had forgotten some their names. Thanks for reminding me of one.

    2. Re:300,000, That's it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Touching people's eyes is far easier than ripping them out. If they truly did pull off 300,000 eyeballs we should be very worried indeed.

    3. Re:300,000, That's it? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      300k is just the fake events that apparently some Americans did actually attend. The number of people who saw Russian posts is higher.

      Anyway, eyeballs are not a good metric. Influence is, but influence is hard to measure. This story is very significant because it appears that there is evidence that people definitely were influenced to the point of attending protests organized by Russia.

      We are slowly moving towards acceptance. First it was "this never happened", then it was "the posts only reached a few hundred people", after that "no one was actually influenced by this stuff".

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    4. Re:300,000, That's it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      300k is just the fake events that apparently some Americans did actually attend. The number of people who saw Russian posts is higher.

      Anyway, eyeballs are not a good metric. Influence is, but influence is hard to measure. This story is very significant because it appears that there is evidence that people definitely were influenced to the point of attending protests organized by Russia.

      We are slowly moving towards acceptance. First it was "this never happened", then it was "the posts only reached a few hundred people", after that "no one was actually influenced by this stuff".

      How can you attend a fake event? Either the event never happened and some people online were tricked into thinking it did, or the event happened.

    5. Re:300,000, That's it? by RedK · · Score: 0

      > We are slowly moving towards acceptance. First it was "this never happened", then it was "the posts only reached a few hundred people", after that "no one was actually influenced by this stuff".

      We're still firmly at the "this never happened" stage. The piece of extremely light on details. What kind of events ? What people were reached ? How many actual Americans ? What influence did it have ? All those same questions we had before this article, we have after. It's a CNN.com puff piece. CNN and MSNBC do more to influence Americans by pretending their stuff is news than a few "fake protests".

      And frankly, you should know these protests were more likely to be promoting left wing and anti-Trump causes than pro-Trump ones. If the goal is to sow division in the United States, you attack core values of Americans : Freedom of speech, traditional family and capitalism.

      --
      "Not to mention all the idiots who use words like boxen."
      Anonymous Coward on Monday August 04, @06:49PM
    6. Re:300,000, That's it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We are slowly moving towards acceptance. First it was "this never happened", then it was "the posts only reached a few hundred people", after that "no one was actually influenced by this stuff".

      Kind of like the "acceptance" of mankind caused climate change.

  47. 300,000 people!?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's like ... 0.002% of the total voter turnout. This serious interference obviously cost Hillary Clinton the election!!!! What can we do!?

    1. Re:300,000 people!?!?! by benjfowler · · Score: 1

      Data-driven microtargeted propaganda, run off incredibly detailed and sophisticated models populated with data stolen from American voter databases and social media. Incredibly powerful, unbelievably accurate. It was like a scalpal.

      The Putlerists hit America with an information superweapon that was every bit as powerful as Stuxnet -- perhaps moreso.

      Last February, a top Russian cyber official told a security conference in Moscow that Russia was working on new strategies for the “information arena” that would be equivalent to testing a nuclear bomb and would “allow us to talk to the Americans as equals.”

      Andrey Krutskikh, a senior Kremlin adviser, made the startling comments at the Russian national information security forum, or “Infoforum 2016,” held Feb. 4 and 5. His remarks were transcribed by a Russian who attended the gathering and translated for me by an independent European cyber expert.

      Krutskikh’s comments are important because they may help explain the radical strategic doctrine that underlies Russia’s hacking and attempted manipulation of the 2016 presidential campaign in America, as well as Russian political subversion in Europe. His title is “special representative of the president for international cooperation in the field of information security.”

      These fascists know EXACTLY what they're doing.

    2. Re:300,000 people!?!?! by careysub · · Score: 3, Informative

      Trump was elected by a mere 79,000 votes in some heavily targeted districts. So, 250% of Trump's "margin or victory" Very significant.

      So, take heart Anonymous Comrade, you may have gotten Trump elected.

      --
      Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
  48. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by cfalcon · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Sigh.

    ---
    "Trump is totally, unbelievably fucked... ...when the adults are back in charge in Washington, there are going to be SERIOUS, life-changing repercussions for Putin and his friends.... This is going to be FUN to watch."
    ---

    Good fucking grief, the party-rah-rah-rah in this. Your 2018 is going to be as disappointing as your 2016.

  49. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're probably seeing some Russian trollbots, some Turkish, some Ukrainian, Romanian, who the fuck knowsian... and a lot of brainwashed Republican Americans too, taking up the cause of propaganda as their entire "party" now. They've disowned Ryan and the other spineless cunts in Congress because they were only paying blind-eye to racism, as opposed to Trump's direct and unambiguous support for racism/nazism. So intent on that path, they could give a fuck about any other reality but their own - and they have to spin each day's news into some sort of hoax-smokescreen in their minds internally - every damning detail of the Mueller investigation as Trump get's carted off to tie in prison. Pity the fools, lol. But not too much, they're nazi trash and they deserve their own personal holocaust worse than the one they deny.

  50. Um, Russian trolls are posting here Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Read the post histories of some of the folks on these threads where Mueller, Russia, Trump are involved and try to guess who is associated with Russia propaganda mills. Then go look at the user histories. You think there isn't Russian propaganda active today on /.?

    1. Re:Um, Russian trolls are posting here Slashdot by benjfowler · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You're not the only one to notice this. There's a fuckton of it. Slashdot is definitely being targeted.

    2. Re:Um, Russian trolls are posting here Slashdot by Red+Herring · · Score: 1, Interesting

      I used to post and interact here a lot, but this place has gone the way of reddit and r/theDonald... sad to see a once-relevant tech site get so taken over by politics and shit-posters. Between this and the "5G IS BEING SOCIALIZED OMG FEAR THE CHINESE" article above... wow. Just, wow.

      --
      #include "standard_disclaimer.h"
    3. Re:Um, Russian trolls are posting here Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's funny because the volume of your vitriolic anti-Russian comments exceeds that which any normal user could ever be bothered with.

    4. Re:Um, Russian trolls are posting here Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You guys just say "F- off Ivan" to anything you can't refute. Responding with racism instead of logic and accusing people who have never even been to Russia of being "Russian bots" doesn't convince anyone but those who already agree with you. You're just falling victim to confirmation bias over and over. I'm sure that Russian people do post online, even on Slashdot, but that's a far cry from saying that everyone who disagrees with me is a Russian. But sure, go ahead and assume that anyone who makes a point you can't answer is Russian. Let's see what that buys you.

      How do I know that you're not a Russian? You forgot the "and" before Trump! Your grammar is non-native! Clearly, this is proof of some sort of collusion! Also, you said "user histories" instead of "user's histories." While the grammar is fine, this is a rather awkward way to phrase things. So how do we prove that you're not a Russian bot? Mind you, I don't believe that you are, but how does one prove such a thing to begin with?

      I'd suggest that maybe Slashdot use Geo-IP and give posts little flags based on their IP to end some of the nonsense, but I think that everyone here probably knows how proxies and VPNs work. Granted, some proxies are nice enough to give headers like X-Forwarded-For, but then again, you can just make your computer appear to be an open proxy for a few minutes and say that you forwarded the traffic for any IP you wish, too...

  51. Re:Who's really responsible for the events "succes by benjfowler · · Score: 2

    So somebody scams your grandparents of their life savings (and your inheritance).

    Who are you going to blame for that?

    These people were scammed by sophisticated Russian military information-warfare outfits. How are people, who are unaware of the fascist threat, going to defend themselves against that?

  52. Re:Who's really responsible for the events "succes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    >Call me crazy, but no one forced these people to go to these events

    Please. Obviously nobody was forced, noone said that anyone was.

    They were manipulated. Sounds a bit like you have been too.

  53. Re:Why is Hillary not in prison? by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 3, Informative

    The war in Syria is about a Natural Gas Pipeline that the west wants and Russia does not.

  54. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 2

    Nice deflection attempt. Try harder, though.

  55. STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by AbRASiON · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Jesus christ.

    This story never ends, Russia did this, Russia did that, always very little or circumstantial evidence, or something like "up to 6 fake accounts were made, with over 32 followers!"

    Unless something significantly concrete, ground slamming and thorough comes out which outright proves some kind of real huge conspiracy, then all this looks like is crazy people on a witch hunt.

    FUTHERMORE even if it were real, it's up to people to vote with their conscience / brain, assuming they have one.

    On top of this, even IF the Russia email hack Hillary thing is real (or was Russians) the point should be the bloody evidence revealed, don't play the distraction game, if her emails clearly proved she was a liar or trouble or whatever (I don't even know what it was) why are we desperately trying to look the other way?

    Note: NOT an American, didn't even vote in your election and I know Trump is an idiot, but the republicans didn't win your election, the fucking democrats lost it by omitting Bernie.

    So tired of this political stuff on /., what next? Another in depth article about how every single white male programmer is without question a rapist or something?

    1. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The part they left out, is the interesting part!
      What was the event on the streets people were to attend?
      My guess, black lives matter.

    2. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Evidence upsets you, Vlad? #MAGA!

    3. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by benjfowler · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Just because you're ignorant of the facts doesn't mean it isn't happening.

      Bots have flooded the internet with comments very similar to yours, repeatedly insisting that "there is no evidence" of Russian criminality in attacking US elections. Well, unfortunate, because there's a crushing amount of evidence. Why hell, Russian hackers in Cozy Bear were caught red-handed by the Dutch -- the stupid motherfuckers helpfully left an IP camera running, so we now know the identities of most of the hackers and intelligence officers involved.

      There IS evidence of Russian wrongdoing, on a scale that amounts to an act of war. You cannot deny it.

    4. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Obviously it was liberals that were conned into attending these events / protests. Conservatives rarely demonstrate because they're too busy WORKING.

    5. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by careysub · · Score: 1

      No demonstrations in Charlottesville at all, no siree.

      --
      Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
    6. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There IS evidence of Russian wrongdoing, on a scale that amounts to an act of war. You cannot deny it.

      Yes I can.

      Ready?

      I deny Russia's election meddling amounts to an act of war.

    7. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thank you for teaching us there is no end to a person's ability to be ignorant in spite of immeasurable evidence.

      I bet you are "that guy" that says the earth is flat. T-Rex killed jesus, and the joker is your father.

      Why are there so many people who hates education? All those people who did the hard work and people like you end up on the computers, internet and technology the educated built. And you are using that very same technology to bring them down.

      If you love Russia so much, just move there and give Putin the dictator a nice hug. See how that goes.

    8. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by blind+biker · · Score: 4, Informative

      Why hell, Russian hackers in Cozy Bear were caught red-handed by the Dutch

      At the risk of being called a troll (look at my posting history and tell me if I am one), but for that there really is no proof.

      --
      "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
    9. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are absolutely crazy, there is no evidence for the stuff you are talking about.

      It is invented to push you to war with Russia.

      You better come to your senses, for everyone's sake.

    10. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by johannesg · · Score: 1

      Do you honestly believe that Russian hackers not only had an internet-connected camera running inside their national spying agency, but in fact had it aimed so you could see the Red Square? Because while that may make perfect sense in a movie, it really doesn't in real life.

      And why would the Dutch give away such a massive advantage? Why not just keep spying? Ah wait, let me answer that: because in the Netherlands there is a lot of discussion at the moment about a new law that would massively increase the powers of this very same agency to spy on its own citizens.

      And on top of that... Why weren't the Americans warned of this ongoing hack attack? Don't believe all this crap, it's all BS...

    11. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unless something significantly concrete, ground slamming and thorough comes out which outright proves some kind of real huge conspiracy, then all this looks like is crazy people on a witch hunt.

      You mean four people charged of which two have admitted and one is in house arrest?

      Yeah, you don't get admissions out of baseless claims.

      Note: NOT an American, didn't even vote in your election and I know Trump is an idiot, but the republicans didn't win your election, the fucking democrats lost it by omitting Bernie.

      That is just bullshit.
      Everyone has the right to vote for whoever they want. Don't blame the opposition for not voting hard enough. The Trump voters are the ones who are responsible for him, not anyone else.
      All that needed to happen was for people to not vote for Trump. He was a known rapist and conman with ties to the Russian mafia long before the election.

    12. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      why are we desperately trying to look the other way?

      BECAUSE IT WAS HER TURN REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

      In short, after eight years of economic malaise, a disaster of healthcare "reform", and politicians whining their little heads off over what bathrooms dudes in dresses can use... The Democrats followed it all up with running the most unelectable horse not just in the stable, but in the entire history of horse racing.

      So clearly, outside sources that reached not even a single percent of the population are responsible for electing LE DRUMPF ORANGE HITLER, because if you care about being able to retire one day, you're rayciss.

    13. Re:STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by RedK · · Score: 0

      Well, unfortunate, because there's a crushing amount of evidence.

      Too bad you omitted to add any in your post.

      But I guess I must be a Russian bot *beep* *boopski* *Comrade*.

      --
      "Not to mention all the idiots who use words like boxen."
      Anonymous Coward on Monday August 04, @06:49PM
    14. Re: STOP WITH THE RUSSIA STUFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does your single example refute the GPâ(TM)s assertion that a majority of protests are liberal?

  56. Re:Who's really responsible for the events "succes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Was there some "bait and switch" thing going on here?

    The goal is to cause chaos. The bait-and-switch approach is that you take advantage of a shocking event (mass shooting, disaster, etc) and let loose your army of bots to organize protests with 100,000 followers on one side, and an opposing event with 100,000 followers on the other side.

    If nothing happens, meh, it cost you nothing except paying some guys in St. Petersburg to shitpost. Try again after the next shocking event.

    If you get lucky, you get 500 protestors on one side of the street, and 500 counterprotestors on the other side of the street, and they start throwing insults, bricks, and molotovs at each other.

    Then you sit back and enjoy the chaos you've created -- not just the localized disruption of the riot but the fact that everybody you lured into a riot leaves with hardened feelings against their opposition.

    Lather, rinse, repeat. More chaos, more violence, and maybe you get really lucky and kick off a civil war. Your greatest geopolitical adversary basically punches itself in the face and off the global stage while you sit back and way "Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself!"

    Look upthread -- notice that some of the ACs are vehemently supporting one side of the story, and some of them are just as vehemently supporting the other side. Maybe only a few of them are actual information warfare guys. But it only takes a few to get the rest of the ACs (sincere readers with partisan opinions) to tear at each other's throats.

    Basically, they're doing this in real life: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/trollbait-nobody-is-right

    And they're going to keep on doing it as long as it continues to work.

  57. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It's a fucking witchhunt generated by a secret society of FBI agents (their fucking words) and paid for by Democrats. It's never been remotely POSSIBLY true. If you weren't so blinded by bias, you'd stop and think for a moment: what would Trump or Putin gain by actually colluding?

    1. The words you are quoting were a joke. They recovered the other emails to prove it. People like you who stretch tiny things like a single text message into vast conspiracies really need to get mental help, or at least change to some slightly more ethical job.

    2. Putin hated Hillary. Trump was seen as more useful to Putin's goals and he has been particularly useful. I'm not going to list them all, but needless to say Putin thinks he can get by with more on Trump's watch.

    Trump is pushing protectionism and isolationism. That is just perfect for Putin's agenda. Given that it is quite likely that Trump is deeply in dept to Russia, given what we know he is hiding, well, I'd say Putin is smiling.

    Hell Trump is single handedly doing his damn-est to destroy rule of law and freedom of the press to protect himself. If America is not a shining example, well that is better for his own purposes. People will complain less internally if they look less bad by comparison.

  58. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    Wipe that froth off your chin, motherfucker.

  59. Re:Why is Hillary not in prison? by benjfowler · · Score: 0

    Everyone hates competition. But besides German industry's thirst for Russian gas, it's hard to see how Putin could keep the resource-weapon going over the long term. Still, he gets credit for trying.

    The Americans just tanked the price of natural gas with fracking. And they are shipping it to Europe. Putin's bullshit fascist aggression has everyone coming out against Nord Stream II (and let's face it, if you manage to upset the _Swedes_ of all people, you've fucked up big time).

    Now if we can convince the French to start fracking (although I'm sure Putin's got THAT covered with anti-fracking astroturfing groups), they might have some problems.

  60. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He is an immigrant, probably from the Ukraine.
    Americans should risk their life and property on behalf of Ukrainians. That's the point.

  61. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's only of interest to the nerds from the Ukraine or other little nations of zero consequence. Like, Georgians or Lathuanianz. Normal people tend to be less than obsessed with, well, nothingburgers.

    Russian leadership is composed of some small time thugs; their threat to US is on par with that of Chavez or Duterte.

  62. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    Hahah, got you there, didn't I!

    You have no answers, because deep down, you know it's true.

  63. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by penandpaper · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Four Trump campaign and administration officials have been charged with serious crimes.

    For lying either after the election or crimes long before the election. Which makes the special investigation moving beyond the original intent and your next point rather moot.

    Donald Trump committed treason with Russia, and committed obstruction of justice in his cover-up.

    The investigation about Trump Russian collusion only has arrests for things that never occurred during the election in which said collusion was supposed to happen. You know it's a witch because the scope has moved beyond "Trump Russia collusion during the election". Now, it's about "find any dirt and use that hopefully to impeach Trump when our team takes the congress". IOW, dirty politics and the same bullshit that has haunted every special investigation that has ever been convened.

    There is most certainly a witch hunt because the original special investigation has moved well beyond "Trump Russian Collusion". Until the facts come out, the FBI, the special investigation, have had their reputation tarnished because of shit people like Strozk and Page.

    You are a piece of shit anonymous coward pushing an agenda that gives zero shits about the rule of law when you brandish words like "treason" and "traitor" without giving a fuck about the fruit of the poison tree.

  64. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    I learnt from the masters -- the Russian troll army.

    *bows*

  65. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 0

    Were you born with calipers? Read what I wrote.

  66. Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Muslim Brotherhood's trolls created a fake "Women's March" that was actually an evangelical recruitment drive for their terrorist religious organization. That event was noticed by a lot more than 300,000 users. You still see morons wearing those pink pussy hats. Where is the media outrage over that?

    Yes, we need to keep an eye on Russia, but let's have some perspective.

    1. Re:Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood.... by benjfowler · · Score: 0

      Obviously, we're not getting the top-drawer trolls on here today.

      Lame. 1/10.

  67. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  68. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by bmo · · Score: 2

    But we do carpet bomb them with smart ordinance, like cluster bombs. Cluster bombs where the bomblets look like toys to children. So when it's unexploded ordnance, they can play with the bomblets. Until they go boom.

    So that's different, right?

    But they hate us for our freedoms.

    "They're American bombs. They hug you to death." -- Jimmy Dore

    --
    BMO

  69. Re:At this point, I would vote for Satan by pezpunk · · Score: 0, Troll

    typical trump supporter right here.

    --
    i could live a little longer in this prison
  70. Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To control the natural resources of the Middle East. It is in their best interests to propagate and foister Islamic terrorism and instability in the Arab World because that allows them to tighten control of the land and oil supply. Anyone who questions this corrupt state of affairs is slandered.

    1. Re:Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by benjfowler · · Score: 1

      Typical Russians -- accuse your opponents of doing what you're doing.

      General rule of thumb with Russian propagandists: "whoever smelt it, dealt it".

    2. Re: Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whoever smellt it dealt it?

      Are you (mentally) ten years old?â©

    3. Re: Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He can't compose a relevant intellectual argument based on facts, and so instead of using something like the Socratic Method, he had to resort to Fartcratic Method.

      Up next: a defense of neoconservative talking points in the preferred Diarrhea Haiku of lore.

    4. Re:Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by Another+Mouse+Coward · · Score: 1, Troll

      I think you meant Republican tactic. That's what they have been doing for years!

    5. Re: Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      Russians, Republicans, what's the difference? Both hate Muslims, gays and feminists and love God, guns and authoritarians.

    6. Re: Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      You might need to work on your English phrasing and comprehension, Ivan. You used English in ways a native English speaker wouldn't.

      It's kind of like how some guys in eastern europe actually think that "terribad" or "nothingburger" are real english words rather than meme-words made up by some people for whom english isn't their primary language.

      Or how some misogynist "anti-feminist" AC's on slashdot use "the females" where a native english speaker would use "women"

    7. Re: Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Klanbake. Google it.

    8. Re: Saudis, Israel and US Deep State in collusion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're a fucking moron.

      - American

  71. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 2

    Russian information warriors definitely play both sides -- to the level of ridiculousness.

    They were caught organising riots in Baltimore, by having trolls (sitting in the same room!), posing as both BLM activists and alt-right skinheads simultaneously, trying to organise civil unrest.

    It's simply unbelievable what America in general -- and social media bosses in particular -- are allowing Putin and his vile regime to get away with.
    Heads must roll.

  72. The adults who gave us 17 years of perpetual war? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The adults who wage drone strikes and blow up civilians routinely and call it "collateral damage."

    The adults who implemented the largest spying apparatus in world history and directed it against the public?

    The adults who loot and plunder the savings and livelihood of the people through the Federal Reserve, then steal nearly 1/3 of our income to pay the interest to the bankers?

    What a swell group!

  73. The tables have turned, o serpent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Good thing the data shows that the vast majority of the public doesn't believe these lies, deceptions and shenanigans and have overwhelmingly rejected the fake Russia narrative.

    And there's nothing you can do about it.

  74. Trump's strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "The events were organized on a range of divisive issues and were designed to pit Americans against each other. " -- Hey, that's Trump's strategy!

  75. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by bmo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm a libtard.

    The Hillary viewpoint with the DNC and Podesta Emails boils down to this:

    "We would have won if those meddling kids didn't expose our lies"

    It's literally something out of Scooby Doo.

    Trump and trumpism isn't the result of the goddamned Russians, it's the result of 40+ years of stultification of the American Public. Ever since the Southern Strategy. The Republicans have been courting the idiots ever since then, and don't fucking argue this point with me, because it was Nixon's own words as to what rubes he was going after.

    And ever since then, they've become the Republican Base.

    Gone are the Barry Goldwaters. The GOP (grand?) is now composed of grifters, wannabes, assholes, racists, and tools. Since this matches much of the American Public, it's no wonder that Trump won, because he is all of that, and more.

    And what gets me is that the Democrats should be /hammering/ the Republicans on policy. Except that it's "Russia Russia Russia." Which the American Public doesn't give two shits about. So we have tools like Tom Perez in charge of the party, someone who would stab you in the back (politically) as much as look at you.

    No platform. No policy. Just skulduggery.

    --
    BMO

  76. russia, russia, russia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    in my best jan brady voice: "russia, russia, russia"

  77. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Idiots!

    Sure, Russia and the US, go ahead and weaken each other with stupid games and win stupid prizes.

    China abides.

  78. Trump Russia collusion was great value by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Russia probably spent less than $1 million to try screwing with our election. If the hysterical left is right, then that means that this ~$1 million investment that was only seen by the die hard fans was more effective than almost $1 billion in ad and marketing spend by the Clinton campaign.

    Does that make sense?

    1. Re:Trump Russia collusion was great value by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      Well, Hillary! did take $1,000 and turn it into $100,000 in cattle futures, so Russia taking $1,000,000 and turning into the equivalent of $1,000,000,000 in spending is, I guess, plausible...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
  79. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by bmo · · Score: 0

    "Russia gets no respect, because it is run by a bloodthirsty fascist who is morally depraved on just about every axis you want to compare with the West."

    There is not a day that goes by that Trump doesn't exhibit himself to be a sort-of dumb Mussolini, without the dignity or humility.

    You may call Putin a fascist, but Trump is also that, without being able to get the trains to run on time.

    Respect is to be earned. It's hard won and easily lost. Whatever respect we had as a nation, is fucking gone.

    >epic punishment beating

    This is not how you earn respect. You are mistaking fear for respect. They are completely two different beasts altogether.

    Bullies think that fear is respect. Bullies have rude awakenings of their own when people stop fearing them.

    --
    BMO

  80. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 0

    So I guess this post (about downplaying Russia's incredible aggression), is yet another variation on the theme that I'm seeing the bots hammer these days.

    Tell me -- is downplaying Russia's 2016 act of war indeed on the temka? Maybe you can share the rest of it with us, while you're at it?

  81. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    All good -- we've got evidence of China's complicity with Russia's fascist schemes. You've been rumbled.

  82. Re: Russians: they look almost human by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Speaking of inviting hatred and fear, isn't it funny you're defending Russia, who literally did that via social media propaganda?

    Makes you think about the projection so common to some political parties these days.

  83. Correction: seen by ONLY 300,000 people by elcor · · Score: 1

    stats lie

  84. Re: Russians: they look almost human by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Agreed, we need to nuke Russia before they nuke us!

  85. You're kidddin, right? by kenh · · Score: 1

    "Posing as American activists, Russian government-linked trolls created 129 Facebook events between 2015 and 2017,"

    What, 129 "events" over the course of three years? That isn't even one a week!

    Too bad CNN lacks the ability to research any of these so-called "events", I guess they don't have access to any historical information about what went on in the country between 2015 and 2017.

    --
    Ken
    1. Re:You're kidddin, right? by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      and 300,000 people saw them....so essentially, almost no facebook users even saw these "events"

      Reminds my of our pathetic marketing department trying to justify our website almost no one looks at...so they count "impressions" rather than report the dismal number of unique visitors.

    2. Re:You're kidddin, right? by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      that's an average of over 3 a month, maybe not quite once a week, but not infrequently.

      But it only takes 1 post to inflame opinions which might lead to those people inflaming OTHER people.

      Let me give you an example of an instance on Slashdot. I don't believe it was russian trolling but an example of how one person can inflame opinion.

      There was a discussion of how tech had changed how EBT (Food stamps) operated. Someone, I can't remember if it was an AC or not mentioned that they'd seen someone getting cash back from an electronic benefit card. And some other AC reported someone buying some prohibited item with such a card. That led to a HUGE thread of Slashdot tech-bro-tarians complaining about their taxes going to welfair and how poor people were stupid and all sorts of alt-right anti-poor stuff.

      But... the truth is that those EBT cards support multiple benefits. One card can have a cash benefit (like unemployment) AND a food stamp benefit. I pointed this out, but it got lost in the anti-poor rhetoric. NONE of the slashdot regulars I replied to said "oops my bad, I didn't know the cards did that."

      So imagine those tech-bro-tarians talking about politics with other tech-bros at work, they might go on about how poor people are undeserving cheats and frauds thusly contributing to the misinformation problem.

      All it takes is one AC Russian saying "I saw some black panthers outside my polling place" or "Antifa threw rocks at me when I was at a trump rally" to inflame opinions.

  86. Re:Who's really responsible for the events "succes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Don't need paid trolls, Russian or otherwise to do this. There's a huge amount of American citizens willing to do it for free, just by being themselves online. If Russia was suddenly wrapped in a bubble and cut off from the internet, I don't think you'd notice much of a difference as far as online political flamewars go.

  87. Warning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Punching yourself may get you locked up.

  88. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Yeah you've been like sprinkling your babble all across the thread and personally I disagree with your silly aggression.

    The (American) problem is that we let it get to this point. We take social media outbursts and promises from people we don't know as truth, just because they make us feel sad or confirm our biases. We allow our emotions override our logic and our hearts end up making decisions best reserved for our brains. Some responsibility must be taken in this regard.

    Russia, they with no money, no military, or otherwise no resources, are playing the only game they have: information (thanks internet). Frankly I'm surprised it got as far as it did.

  89. Re:Who's really responsible for the events "succes by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    The locals would have noticed all the embassy workers herding them to speeches.
    People all over the USA, in all professions, retired, mil, gov had the freedom to listen to the speeches and vote for who they wanted.
    More states liked one candidate who could give a great speech in their state over a candidate who used short media releases.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  90. Pathetic. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I created a meme video watched by over 20 million people.

    I'm bigger than russia and coluding with my trump tie on!

    fucking morons. stop with the fake russia shit. we're not buying it. STOP.

  91. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    129 events over 2 years.
    This is 1 guy, and not working hard either.

  92. Dear Bizx Employee: FUCKING CUT THIS SHIT OUT by Iamthecheese · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Jesus fucking CHRIST. Other people have said this, but I'm so incensed I feel the need to repeat what has already been said thirty times in this very thread. Stop propagandizing at me. The DNC was hacked and their dirty laundry was aired and I don't give a shit by whom. Anyone actually informed knows over half of the Russian "interference in the election" was in support of Hillary. Anyone with a brain knows the contents of the emails are more important than who exposed them. Whether you're trying to make me believe this narrative or just adding headlines for some list of "1,000 headlines that make this claim and therefore it's true", whether you're lying on purpose or just ignorant, I don't give a shit. Stop it! Stop pushing agendas. Your job is not to influence my beliefs or behavior, your job is to present interesting, PERTINENT news for nerds. Take your user profiles, your Shareblue talking points, your bribe money, your demographic maps, and your informal automated polling and shove it so far up your ass that your problem glasses fall off you piece of shit.

    --
    If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
    1. Re: Dear Bizx Employee: FUCKING CUT THIS SHIT OUT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just run an ad blocker so these bozos can't monetize you, troll the lying propagandist shills with all your might for hearty lulz, and don't take anything here too seriously.

  93. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Tell that to the people of Vietnam, preferably face to face and see if you walk out.

  94. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck off Russian.

  95. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Supposedly the cold war was over in the 1990s. Putin has kept it going.
    Probably because he's fucking useless at managing the economy, so instead he creates the boogeyman.
    Which he of course has to attack because he's thick as fuck and can only think in terms of chess pieces.

  96. Re: Russians: they look almost human by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    War the greatest evil that men perpetuate against one another.

    Countering war propaganda is not about defending a nation-state. All governments are run by crooks, thieves and liars.

    No, countering war propaganda ought to be the endeavor of every sane, rational person who values life and human dignity.

  97. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by fizzer06 · · Score: 1

    Nyet!

  98. Cognitive Dissonance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So you think Russians are engaged in a grand conspiracy to take down America and somehow STOLE the election from Hillary by posting stupid ads about Jesus v Satan... ...And yet simultaneously believe that they are DUMB enough to leave it all in the open so CRACK DETECTIVES like you and Slashdot editors that can barely compose a coherent thought are able to blow the case wide open?

  99. An American populace by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Stuck on stupid is easy to exploit.

  100. No Facts Allowed! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You aren't allowed to use evidence to point out the hypocrisy.

    Using evidence and facts is something only Russian troll bots do. If you use evidence and facts to dispute the Deep State narrative, you must be a Russian.

  101. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Benjfowler certainly seems focused on Russia. Unfortunately his constant cursing and un-sourced assertions do little to help his cause.

  102. CNN liars created FAR more by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry, I wouldn't believe CNN if they told me water was wet.

  103. Re:CNN? You mean the Cuckold News Network? by pezpunk · · Score: 1

    oh look another typical classy trump supporter.

    --
    i could live a little longer in this prison
  104. Re: Russians: they look almost human by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But the truth is - you can't, and, more importantly, you'll be dead, and everything you care about will end up dead.

    Watch some Japanese footage of Hiroshima victims just to get an idea.
    Also, the only regime that ever used nukes on people was america.

  105. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Look up a video where american regime bombs the shit out of a hospital with doctors, patients, women and children.

    You imbecile.

  106. Look @ FEC records for BizX and its executives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    BizX and its CEO have funded both Obama and Clinton. It's in the public FEC records. There is a concerted effort here to turn Slashdot into a propaganda outlet for the Democratic Party.

    Fortunately, the people they put in charge of doing that aren't particularly competent (some of the editors can barely write complete sentences in English), and it makes them very easy to troll, which is great for laughs.

  107. This article itself is fake news. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The irony I find in all this fake news and Russia interfering with US election garbage is that many of the biggest lobbies in the US are foreign interest groups. AIPAC anyone? Not to mention the foreign influence of major US media groups. No one cares except the people who aren't paying much attention anyway.

  108. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Gavagai80 · · Score: 2

    Adults don't think treason or confrontation with Russia or anything resulting from the whole situation is FUN. In fact, calling a national disaster fun because it humiliates a political party you dislike is the sort of thing Trump does. You're just another symptom of the same juvenile insanity Trump suffers from.

    --
    This space intentionally left blank
  109. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by ilguido · · Score: 2

    The West doesn't carpet bomb entire villages with dumb ordinance, WW2-style like the Russians do.

    No, the Americans just used WW1-style* white phosphorus bomb during the siege of Raqqa and Mosul.

    *White phosphorus ammunition was first used by the British in 1916.

  110. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

    "We would have won if those meddling kids didn't expose our lies"

    Actually, it's "we would have won if those meddling kids had exposed our opponent's lies evenly with ours." There's no doubt the GOP does plenty of unsavory things that would come out if you dumped their server contents, but the leak selectively left them alone.

    I don't excuse the democrats for anything, they dug their own grave, but they are correct that they would've won if they'd had the company they deserved in the grave. Because apparently nothing will convince Americans to vote for a third party.

    --
    This space intentionally left blank
  111. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

    I don't think the user base here is heavily leaning (at least not to the extent that most online communities are) in one direction or the other

    Are you kidding? There are more libertarians on slashdot than there are libertarian voters in the country on election day.

    --
    This space intentionally left blank
  112. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "the people who became multi-millionaires while in public service?"

    Like Putin and his relatives and friends, and his Prime Minister and many other government employees including his chef. How could they manage to fill those offshore bank accounts on their official salaries? Must be just luck and hard work.

  113. Re:Why is Hillary not in prison? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    (and let's face it, if you manage to upset the _Swedes_ of all people, you've fucked up big time).

    Sweden has been pissed with Russian behavior way before Nord Stream II.
    Russia takes almost every opportunity to violate Swedish borders. It is even to the extent that Russian ships takes the detour between Oland and Gotland since there is a path that technically only is in the Swedish economic zone.
    Nord Stream II is just another step among many. Sweden doesn't want to give Russia a "legit" reason to have troops patrolling Swedish waters and Russia tries to use EU to pressure Sweden in accepting a pipeline that only really Germany wants. (I was going to type benefits from, but Russia is going to recuperate the cost of the pipeline somehow and it is going to be on the gas. Germany would probably benefit more from switching away from the gas dependence.)

    Either way Sweden and Russia have been at war on and off for half of a millennia. so there is probably a lot of old shit to be angry about.

  114. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's an old Russian saying which goes something like "one troll in Savushkina Street is worth 50 libertarians on Slashdot". Yeah it loses something in translation.

  115. Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation by mapkinase · · Score: 1

    That's what the head of that organization in St. Petersburg deserves. Seriously, to start multiple street demos, brawls and riots in a different countries just by few keystroke.

      !

    --
    I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
  116. Slashdot is racist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do we really have to have an anti russian unproven BS article nearly every single day? Isn't this supposed to be a technology website? Slashdot is racist against russians.

  117. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The worst part is that we knew it was going to happen and exactly what they would do. The leaked GCHQ manual on trolling laid out all the techniques that Russia is using. GCHQ uses them too... But apparently forgot to develop any ways to detect or defend against them.

    Since GCHQ knew, that means the NSA knew as well, as also failed to do anything about it.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  118. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

    It's hard for the Dems to attack Trump on policy, because he has made any attack on populist ideas into "political correctness" and other easily dismissed slogans.

    He's very hard to criticise because he's already so offensive and so far divorced from reality that any sort of appeal to the decency or truth is ineffective. In fact his base revels in him being that way.

    Short of creating some kind of left-wing version of Trump to oppose him, which let's be honest none of us want to see, the only thing anyone can really do at this point is wait. He is already failing, so just let it happen, let people realize he is full of shit and put up a good candidate in 2020.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  119. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Because there is no such information warfare campaign. And your insistence on this makes you the laughing stock of people outside the US.

    Also, the Russia Russia Russia s**tstorm is being put to actual serious use by politicians - democrats first and foremost, but not just them - by applying pressure on the large tech companies to start censoring content. And this has borne some fruit, e.g. mass demonetizations of political videos on YouTube; purging of prominent socialist/progressive websites for most search results (e.g. wsws, alternet, global research, counterpunch) and so on.

  120. what about democrat-russian collusion?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would absolutely love it if CNN would do stories about the collusion between democrats and the Russians but, alas, CNN has a long history of purveying fake news. As it it stands, CNN is censoring a huge story which would expose the democrat hypocritical agenda.

    Censoring the news by omission is fake news.

    CNN is the fake news KING! Long live the Fake News King!

  121. That's it? by mplax · · Score: 1

    So 300K people saw the events, 62,500 people said they would attend, and 25,800 said maybe? What % of that 300K people didn't give it a second thought? And what % of the 62,500 and 25,800 were the oh-so-powerful Russian trolls? This seems to be one of those scenarios that, if we were rational, would tell us how absolutely overblown this has been. Show of hands for how many people thought Russia stood by and didn't try to do anything in any of our elections before today? I would have thought the "eyeball number" was much higher. But even if they swayed the votes on 50% of these people, that's a remarkably small number. Wonder what the numbers are from the last couple elections...

  122. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

    1) http://www.foxnews.com/politic...

    2) FSB is a domestic intelligence service. Foreign espionage is not their duty.

    So yes, it is completely pointless comparing the two, but not for the reasons you've stated.

    --
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
  123. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You do realize that reality itself has a left-leaning bias. Rightwingers themselves are against reality as a whole

  124. Re:Why is Hillary not in prison? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, you recycled a racist National Socialist joke about Jews and Poles for your new hate groups? Lovely.

    It's amazing how far the current Left has embraced racism. Then again, if you look at the roots of National Socialism, boycotting the Civil Rights Act, or founding the KKK, it's not surprising. It's more a matter of the mask falling off.

  125. writes CNN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    uh huh

  126. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by ohnocitizen · · Score: 1
    1. You're lying about Clinton.
    2. It's not a witch hunt.
    3. Russians fucked with our democracy and there will be consequences for them and their allies here in the states.
    4. The news of this as it progresses fits on slashdot as it involved tech/hacking, but also, it is news that matters.
  127. "CNN" was one reason I cut Cable TV since 2000 by AnalogDiehard · · Score: 1

    The first thing I look for is the source - once I saw "CNN" I read no further. CNN is no longer a source of integrity, has never been since 2000 when I cut cable TV out of my life.

    --
    Eternity: will that be smoking, or non-smoking? I Corinthians 6:9-10
  128. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do you use the same manual to design your posts?

  129. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They actual world changing Russian - well, Soviet - Information Warfare campaign was the American Civil Rights movement.
    The Soviets funded the Black Panthers, the Nation of Islam... and one Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

    Funny how that turned out for them, huh.

  130. Re: Why is Hillary not in prison? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Another li'l fella who doesn't understand the Democrats and Republicans swapped left and right a few decades back.

  131. Re:Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    2. Putin hated Hillary.

    According to whom?

    Trump was seen as more useful to Putin's goals and he has been particularly useful.

    Maybe, maybe not. That depends on the goals as some might be parallel to those of the US, some inconsequential, and some against our interests. What is true is that Trump doesn't call Putin a boogeyman like the media used to talk about Saddam Hussein nearly two decades ago. You know, that guy that didn't have any WMDs in the end, and who wasn't involved with 9/11 in any way.

    Given that it is quite likely that Trump is deeply in dept to Russia, given what we know he is hiding, well, I'd say Putin is smiling.

    First you have to explain "what we know he is hiding". No one has revealed anything more than circumstantial yet.

    Hell Trump is single handedly doing his damn-est to destroy rule of law and freedom of the press to protect himself.

    Hah, I thought his fake news awards were hilarious and in some cases very accurate. As for the rule of law, what is being destroyed? All I see are unemployment numbers better than they've been in decades and mass hysteria in the media.

  132. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Different AC here, but I'll bite...

    The world doesn't owe Russia "fairness" or "respect".

    Of course, but turnabout is fair play and they're only giving back a fraction of what we give (like you said, their GDP is comparable to Italy's).

    Russia is NOT equal to the West.

    Does being the West automatically gives one the moral high ground?

    Russia is a pissant with terrible demographics, rampant crime and corruption, and an economy smaller than Italy's.

    And the Russians I've spoken to are generally content with how life has improved in the last decade.

    In what universe does Russia get to demand to be "equal" to America?? Dream on!!

    The GP didn't make that claim.

    "O great Putin! Forgive us! We are not worthy! You are our equal!". Doesn't work that way. And BOY, are these arrogant Russian wankers who think that in for a rude awakening! Stamping your feet and holding your breath like an angry toddler does not change facts.

    I get it now, you're deranged. And the best part is that you didn't even address the GP's point about the US overthrowing world leaders and installing the people of their choosing and calling it "democracy".

  133. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by elrous0 · · Score: 1

    He's very hard to criticise because he's already so offensive and so far divorced from reality that any sort of appeal to the decency or truth is ineffective.

    Speaking of being divorced from reality, AmiMoJo, remember how I adopted the sig "The one straight white male in new Star Trek will be portrayed as evil or incompetent" back before Star Trek Discovery premiered? You know, because he was the only straight white male on an SJW show, and so I knew that he would ultimately have to be revealed as either evil or incompetent--because SJW's, as much as they would deny it, really HATE straight white males.

    Remember how an enlightened SJW like yourself corrected my foolish misinformed view back in October, responding to my sig, with:

    By the way, your signature makes you look silly now. Your prediction was way off the mark.

    Then remember how I replied with:

    LOL. Keep watching, You'll be eating those words soon.

    Well, go watch the latest two episodes. And enjoy your meal.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  134. but but ... #ImWithHer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Send rotten Rodham Clinton to prison already. She;s above the law it seems. So much dirt on her and still she is more audacious than ever - crime family.

  135. Russian trolls... by MercTech · · Score: 1

    That would explain how the Bolshevist terrorists of Antifa got ignored by the liberal press so long.

    --
    NRRPT/RCT
  136. Re: Why is Slashdot obsessed with this witch hunt? by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    Deep down, there's a turd with your name on it. Don't worry, I already flushed.