Spy Agency's Secret Plans to Foster Online "Conformity" and "Obedience" Exposed

[eridani]

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/06/22/spy-agencys-secret-plans-foster-online-conformity-and-obedience-exposed

According to the reporting, the latest documents, which were leaked to journalists by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden,

demonstrate how the Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group (JTRIG), a unit of the signals intelligence agency Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), is involved in efforts against political groups it considers “extremist,” Islamist activity in schools, the drug trade, online fraud, and financial scams.

Though its existence was secret until last year, JTRIG quickly developed a distinctive profile in the public understanding, after documents from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that the unit had engaged in “dirty tricks” like deploying sexual “honey traps” designed to discredit targets, launching denial-of-service attacks to shut down internet chat rooms, pushing veiled propaganda onto social networks, and generally warping discourse online.

Among the most troubling revelations is a 42-page internal JTRIG memo that describes in detail how the elite unit developed, maintained, and apparently sought to expand its "scientific and psychological research into how human thinking and behavior can be influenced" in order to increase its ability to "manipulate public opinion" via online tools like email, social media, video, discussion forums, and other platforms.

Greenwald and Fishman argue JTRIG's self-documented exploits are most notable because of their "extensive use of propaganda methods and other online tactics of deceit and manipulation" that are not only reserved for "suspected foreign enemies" or criminals, as the agency continues to claim, but have also been used against other groups and individuals that the agency deems threatening or "politically radical."

As Common Dreams reported in February of 2014—when the existence of JTRIG was first made public—the GCHQ has used the unit to develop and deploy a complex series of "dirty tricks," "propoganda," and "false flag" operations designed to spy on selected targets who included not only "suspected terrorists" and "criminals" but also diplomats, journalists, and activists.

[nc4bo]

1. Can do all that but can't stop the hacking of .GOV and .MIL. Where are our priorities? nt

[dembotoz]

2. Every time du runs slow I wonder...

A sexual honey trap would b very nice for me now.

Better step up my game

[hootinholler]

3. Kicking to help the usual suspects to find this

[randome]

7. It's almost too easy.

"Conformity" and "obedience" are the words chosen by the author. Purposely designed to make you feel...uncomfortable. Interesting bit of irony there, wouldn't you say?

And how is infiltrating suspect networks and trying to influence them any different from placing an informant?

The only difference I see is that where social media is involved, the informant is more "in the open".
[hr][font color="blue"][center]The truth doesn’t always set you free.
Sometimes it builds a bigger cage around the one you’re already in.[/center][/font][hr]

[Octafish]

4. That's the plan.

From an old DU3 OP:

Under the title “Online Covert Action”, the document details a variety of means to engage in “influence and info ops” as well as “disruption and computer net attack,” while dissecting how human beings can be manipulated using “leaders,” “trust,” “obedience” and “compliance”:

[hobbit709]

5. I've never done either "conformity" or "obedience" well.

[PowerToThePeople]

6. Agent Mike will be here soon. n/t

[Romulox]

8. What name do they post under? I have a few I suspect. nt

[GoneFishin]

9. Kick.