US Gov. Software Creates 'Fake People' on Social Networks to Promote Propaganda

The Examiner ^ | February 18, 2011 | Sean Kerrigan

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The US government is offering private intelligence companies contracts to create software to manage "fake people" on social media sites and create the illusion of consensus on controversial issues.

The contract calls for the development of "Persona Management Software" which would help the user create and manage a variety of distinct fake profiles online. The job listing was discussed in recently leaked emails from the private security firm HBGary after an attack by internet activist last week.

Click here to view the government contract (PDF)

According to the contract, the software would "protect the identity of government agencies" by employing a number of false signals to convince users that the poster is in fact a real person. A single user could manage unique background information and status updates for up to 10 fake people from a single computer.

The software enables the government to shield its identity through a number of different methods including the ability to assign unique IP addresses to each persona and the ability to make it appear as though the user is posting from other locations around the world.

Included in HBGary's leaked emails was a government proposal for the government contract. The document describes how they would 'friend' real people on Facebook as a way to convey government messages. The document reads:

• "Those names can be cross-referenced across Facebook, twitter, MySpace, and other social media services to collect information on each individual. Once enough information is collected this information can be used to gain access to these individuals social circles.
• Even the most restrictive and security conscious of persons can be exploited. Through the targeting and information reconnaissance phase, a person’s hometown and high school will be revealed...

[HiTech RedNeck]

Buy that hacker a beer!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PING!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Oh, and someone tell Darrell Issa about this. He’d be REAL curious.

[TigersEye]

Your tax dollars at work creating faux-cyber activists. I wonder if there will be a union for digital 0bots?

[April Lexington]

The US government is offering private intelligence companies contracts to create software to manage "fake people" on social media sites and create the illusion of consensus on controversial issues.

I'm SURE these new fake folk will all be conservatives... NOT!

[SandRat]

That’s why I stay off of Facebook, twitter, MySpace, and other social media services

[April Lexington]

We MUST dismantle the Fedgov before it is too late...

[kevslisababy]

Which is why it is so important(as in Glenn Becks says) to know what you believe and remember it.

[muawiyah]

Amazingly not a peep out of the handful of Obama Truth Squad folks still left on the net ~ guess they are getting replaced PERMANANTLY!

[724th]

You Sir, are a gem.

[WHBates]

Good Lord we live in interesting times. We have a seriously out of control government.

[Eye of Unk]

For all the good it could have been its being recognized as a very potent weapon to control the masses that partake from it.

[SandRat]

Making Joseph Goebbels the Nazi Propaganda Minister proud.

[TigersEye]

Well, I generally remember what I believe without much trouble.

[dalereed]

“That’s why I stay off of Facebook, twitter, MySpace, and other social media services”

I think they are stupid as well!

i can’t think of one reason to use one.

[gitmo]

They’ve been creating fake voters for years.

[cripplecreek]

Manufactured consensus. - Edward Bernays.

[Kieri]

It’s the group “Anonymous.”

Oh, they’re also going after Westboro “baptist church”!!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Ya know, some of the stone heads I debated on townhall.com probably came from this ginned up group. How Low Can You Go?

[null and void]

They’ve been creating fake voters for years.

Heck, they even created a fake president!

[Red Badger]

Cyber-astroturf....

[majormaturity]

De-fund this administration.

[PGR88]

and create the illusion of consensus on controversial issues.

that's your gov't at work, folks.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Someday, the entire Interwebs will be composed of government 'bots flaming each other.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I know this is silly, but where in the US Constitution does the federal government get the authority to do something like this?

[HiTech RedNeck]

I’ve often wondered what grudge made Westburros tick. Even most hellfire preachers will tell their audiences “come to Jesus and be saved” and will refrain from speculating upon the particular fate of this or that deceased person. The Westburros behave like they want to be a non-edifying nuisance.

[April Lexington]

Ya know, some of the stone heads I debated on townhall.com probably came from this ginned up group. How Low Can You Go?

HA! They can't find real supporters so they have to make some up...

[adorno]

Well, with a fake citizen in the White House, and fake protesters in Wisconsin, why couldn’t we expect “fake online people”? If you can’t win with real people, invent them, and perhaps the idiots in society will fall for it.

[sthguard]

And what exactly does it consist of now? :-)

[driftdiver]

I’d imagine some of them are here. I bet Willie Green was one of em.

[Texas Fossil]

Twitter was the “only” source of info out of Iran during the elections and subsequent mess. A lot of good young people landed in the slammer or worse after the government finally got “help” from private IT contractors.

Twitter was also useful during the Honduras election crap with Zelaya and “The Won” trying to reinstate that commie. The only reason they ever backed away was they were getting daily slammed for their actions. The Obozo administration is currently continuing to punish those who “flew him the bird” then.

Now Twitter was purchased by Facebook, doubt I will ever be on there again. Should have been there during the mess in Costa Rico recently. Sandanista Commies took an island between the 2 countries and no one did a thing.

I would not agree that Twitter was useless, but in the future, I am not sure.

[cripplecreek]

The 4 minute men go high tech.

[DesertRhino]

The US government crating fake people to create the illusion of mass consensus. Are we allowed yet, to say that we now have a totalitarian government that must be removed? Or is it still that “awkward age”?

[Red Badger]

.......to collect information on each individual.

And the LEFT are the ones doing it, NOT REPUBLICANS!!....

[unixfox]

Fine, then we create fake governmnet employee pages and exploit them.

But wait, we already have a fake president so I guess it wouldn't really matter.

[Texas Fossil]

with a fake citizen in the White House

Very true, and the most frightening part is that all 3 branches of government knew/know. And both Political Parties knew/know. That is the icing on the cake. Traitor Bastards all.....

[Breto]

you know what they say.... never trust anybody over 30kb

[TruthConquers]

The
Left
LOVES
peer
pressure
!!!!!!!

[texmexis best]

I suspect that there are some on this forum. I see some consensus type entries that are so wrong that it beggars description. It’s probably them.

[EternalVigilance]

Obama needs to hire a troll-bot czar.

The perfect candidate:

"Hello, I'm Bob Smith and I'd like to be your friend."

[Steely Tom]

If George Bush had tried anything like this, the left and the media would be going absolutely out of their minds. Every committee chairman in the House and every committe chairman in the Senate, and the Chairmen of every one of their subcommittees, would be demanding hearings into every aspect of this. We would literally never hear the end of it.

[bigheadfred]

2112

[EternalVigilance]

[RegulatorCountry]

Someday, the entire Interwebs will be composed of government 'bots flaming each other.

... while real, live flesh and blood Americans will be reduced to selling their junk back and forth to each other on Craigslist.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I’ve suspected this type of thing even around here sometimes...

There are also tons of YouTube accounts that match that profile...

[Shelayne]

Oh good grief.

To the gov’t: Desperate much?

[bigheadfred]

I see some consensus type entries that are so wrong that it beggars description.

Ooooh, you are soooo right.... I couldn't agree more...

teehee

[texmexis best]

Through a different source, but tied to the DNC, I think we had very heavy and continous attacks that tried to build consensus for Repubs to support weak candidates in various elections and consensus type remarks that seriously tried to disparage our potentially strong candidates.

And it was on this forum.

Think before you believe anything.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

... while real, live flesh and blood Americans will be reduced to selling their junk back and forth to each other on Craigslist.

Is that a double entendre?

: > )