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US Gov. Software Creates 'Fake People' on Social Networks to Promote Propaganda
The Examiner ^ | February 18, 2011 | Sean Kerrigan

Posted on 02/19/2011 5:21:33 PM PST by 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:


(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: anonymous; b13; blackops; casssunstein; consensus; cyberattacks; delphi; delphitechnique; disinformation; espionage; facebook; falseidentities; federalgovernment; hbgary; internet; misinfocampaign; personamanagement; propaganda; provocateurs; rsasecurity; sunstein; usgovpropaganda
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Obama needs to hire a troll-bot czar.

The perfect candidate:

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

41 posted on 02/19/2011 5:43:19 PM PST by EternalVigilance (Does it bother you that even those who are being called "draconian" are only scratching the surface?)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

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.


42 posted on 02/19/2011 5:43:49 PM PST by Steely Tom (Obama goes on long after the thrill of Obama is gone)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
2112
43 posted on 02/19/2011 5:44:51 PM PST by bigheadfred (THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE HAS BEGUN)
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To: Steely Tom

44 posted on 02/19/2011 5:46:37 PM PST by EternalVigilance (Does it bother you that even those who are being called "draconian" are only scratching the surface?)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
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.

45 posted on 02/19/2011 5:46:53 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

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

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


46 posted on 02/19/2011 5:48:08 PM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (Arjuna, why have you have dropped your bow???)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Oh good grief.

To the gov’t: Desperate much?

47 posted on 02/19/2011 5:48:22 PM PST by Shelayne (He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly" Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! *Rev 22:20)
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To: texmexis best
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

48 posted on 02/19/2011 5:49:42 PM PST by bigheadfred (THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE HAS BEGUN)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

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.


49 posted on 02/19/2011 5:50:13 PM PST by texmexis best
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To: RegulatorCountry
... 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?

: > )

50 posted on 02/19/2011 5:51:33 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun." -- Barry Soetoro, June 11, 2008)
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To: TigersEye

The International Brotherhood of Cyberpersons.


51 posted on 02/19/2011 5:51:37 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: SandRat
"That’s why I stay off of Facebook, twitter, MySpace, and other social media services."

I'm with you. I got my fill of socializing with AOL years ago. I used to host a genealogy and Civil War chat room in the evenings. That was enough for me, and it got old real fast. I'm a fairly private person. If I want to socialize with anyone, I'll call them or send them an email. This site, and a UK archaeology-related site are the only two groups that I belong to.

52 posted on 02/19/2011 5:52:02 PM PST by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: cripplecreek

From now on when someone questions whether you have a “man card” it will have a whole new meaning. lol


53 posted on 02/19/2011 5:52:18 PM PST by TigersEye (Who crashed the markets on 9/28/08 and why?)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

54 posted on 02/19/2011 5:52:31 PM PST by BenLurkin (This post is not a statement of fact. It is merely a personal opinion -- or humor -- or both)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Solicitation Number: RTB220610

Here is the document in question. I deal with these types of things every day and I think it is legitimate, since the original links go back to FedBizOps.

A couple of things about it though:

1) It's not a contract, but simply a "sources sought" request to research potential vendors in this kind of market.

2) It's an Air Force Mobility Command solicitation, with places of performance listed as MacDill AFB, Kabul, Afghanistan and Baghdad, Iraq. However, the end client is obvious CENTCOM, which is based at MacDill.

Consequently, I think that this is an anti-terrorist or counter-intelligence program aimed at the Middle East, considering how powerful social media is becoming as a tool for over throwing governments. The solicitation is from June 2010, and no contract has been awarded yet.

55 posted on 02/19/2011 5:54:10 PM PST by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin has crossed the Rubicon!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

That, frankly sounds hilarious. A bunch of computers going at one another in a cyber circlejerk.


56 posted on 02/19/2011 5:55:04 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Shoot, Democrats have been creating REAL people to do that for years!


57 posted on 02/19/2011 5:56:02 PM PST by bigbob (-)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

this sounds like a fraud on We the People...


58 posted on 02/19/2011 5:56:02 PM PST by mo ("If you understand, no explanation is needed; if you do not, no explanation is possible")
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

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

You betcha!


59 posted on 02/19/2011 5:57:24 PM PST by dljordan ("His father's sword he hath girded on, And his wild harp slung behind him")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Oh. I forgot about the slang, lol.


60 posted on 02/19/2011 5:57:24 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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