Master of Internet Puppets

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A post on Daily Kos reports on a leaked email from HB Gary Federal, a U.S. defense contractor, about using “persona management“ software to create a whole cast of sock-puppet marionettes. The software makes one person seem to be many--the manipulation of online discussions has never been easier.

The Kos article reports that according to an embedded Word document discovered in the leaked email, it appears the intention behind using these confabulated crowds was so that one person could easily gang up on bloggers, commenters and otherwise 'real' people to smear enemies and distort the truth,"in the equivalent of an entire Brooks Brothers riot online."

Faking identities online is nothing new. Many users express themselves in something like a digital charade and play with an invented privacy that ultimately protects their ‘real” lives. While this may be considered part of the human fusion with the Internet – a questionable process that needs crucial reflection but may be considered widely harmless in its intentions – once it aims at affecting and infiltrating public opinion, it is highly alarming and not harmless at all.

If software enables one person to pretend there are many individuals attacking blogs and swarming diaries, it ultimately and effortlessly creates the illusion of consensus. And distorts the truth, because the opinion of many weighs more than a single voice: sometimes for better, but often for worse.

 

Image by estherase on Flickr Courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing

 

Comments

I don't understand-

Why somthing like this even needs to be thought of, let alone, actually created.

I Knew It!!

Its a business dream! So retarded. Like if someone is selling a book, there will be a bunch of comments on how good it is, when its a piece of shit!

" The Barabbas Complex"

There are likely whole think tanks solely dedicated to the manipulation of public opinion in virtually every conceivable format. Playing off of our studied character responses in relation to natural inclinations.

Like sending police undercover posing as demonstrators in peaceful protests with the specific intention of playing off “crowd consciousness” to get either momentum going in the crowd and/or giving the riot squad a chance to “bust heads” .. which also influences all those home watching TV, policy makers etc, etc impressions become everything in the world of opinionated media.

So as any thoughtful discussion of progressive intrigue begins to develop if someone keeps throwing wrenches in the turning cog wheels of ongoing thought with repetitious condescending opinion, playing off others lower inclinations, similar to the mis-information / dis-information tactics of right wing television

… well the natural inclination is not to waste any more time trying to develop the discussion and go elsewhere where there is less haggling … or to become influenced ones self by the constant barrage of the opinion making machination … or simply get caught up in the haggling for haggling privilege itself … all meaningful possibility now cast to the wind.

There have been accusations of such already here on Reality Sandwich and Evolver … whether intentionally undercover ... or just innocently over-opinionated … fruitful discussion can easily be brought down to opinion for opinions sake confrontation until the discussion itself is abandoned all together.

When Pontius Pilot, unable to make up his mind about the true guilt of Jesus .. to “wash his hands” of the political fall out … put both Jesus and Barabbas on public displaying .. leaving it up to the sheer inertia of “crowd momentum” to determine which of the two to condemn and which to grant freedom, sort of almost turning it into a sporting gambling match, leaving all of the heckling and haggling to the masses to work out … { divide and conquer}

… the Jewish elders who were vehemently opposed to the “Messiah” status of Jesus sent instigators all throughout the crowd so as to influence the momentum of the “undecided” towards Barabbas ... intentionally playing off the lower instincts that are innate in such settings … “give us Barabbas” … “give us Barabbas” became the chant .. like drunken crowds at collegiate sporting events … and history was made out of mere hysteria.

How so, so many times the common man has been duped into going along for the political ride due to such instigations alone.

A free Internet without a self-discriminating and self-disciplined citizenship and/or tribe who will not allow themselves to so easily get caught up in such opinionated ramblings .. whether intentionally manipulated or innocently contrived … will certainly be susceptible to such manipulations for sure

… and “hey” if there are technologically sophisticated ways to reduce the man power required for such schemes … well who can deny the right to make a minion out of a sovereign master if such is so easily achieved.

On the other hand, if we are of sound mind and character to begin with, there will be no such weight behind any such endeavors to influence us.

Let this be a lesson to us all to make sure in all of our present day virtual exchanges to simply not allow the degradation of character and/or principle to take precedence in our ongoing exchanges, no matter where the instigations are coming from

And of course to expose such clandestine attempts whenever they arise.

"Wonder is what Mystery would do if it was conscious" ... "Wandering is for every other possibility"

Pippalayana Muni

fits right in...

This fits right in with the recent revelation that there are companies that provide actors posing as listeners/viewers to media sources such as Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, actors pretending to be a normal person expressing a point of view that the host or company, for whatever reason, wants to promote or make believe is out there "in radio land". TV-land. Internet-land. Newspaper-land. etc. I also remember reading about a marketing strategy that is taken very seriously as an effective technique, that of hiring actors to go to an environment related to the product or idea, for example a bar to promote a brand of booze, and carry on a spontaneous-sounding conversation in just the right way so as to entice others in the room to take an interest and receive their "un-biased" point of view. This fits right in with these internet puppet shows. sigh. the world is complicated enough without all these crazy symptoms!

THe Silver Lining

The good news in this message is that comments make a difference, participation matters so continue expressing your beautiful diversity. These people must represent an insignificant portion of the population if they need to exaggerate their voice. Who is behind the curtain? The great and all powerful Oz. A fat guy about to fly away in a hot air balloon. This is Heaven on Earth.

Great! Now we just need to develop the same thing...

Sure, it's disingenuous but if it's not violence we're talking about, why not fight fire with fire. Can't we have our own persona mgmt systems deriding the idiotic comments of their personae?

This job needs perfection

This job needs perfection .. because every silly mistake cause a big problem. SO be aware before choosing it for your career.. If you are so talented then you must choose this one a as it have a lot of scope... Master of Internet puppets must be a person to admire.. Regards

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