B
Black Swan
Sock-Puppets and astroturfing..
Pentagon buys social networking 'spy software'
The Pentagon has purchased a pioneering software programme that creates fake identities on social media websites, in an attempt to infiltrate and influence suspected terrorists and extremists overseas.
The $2.7 million (£1.7 million) programme developed by San Diego firm Ntrepid allows one military user to create multiple personas on the internet and engage in extended online conversations and communications with suspects.
According to military procurement documents seen by the Washington Times, the software will "enable an operator to exercise a number of different online persons from the same workstation and without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries".
"Personas must be able to appear to originate in nearly any part of the world," the documents stated.
A spokesman for the US Central Command region, which includes the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, said that psychological warfare scheme was operating only on overseas social media sites.
"We do not target US audiences, and we do not conduct these activities on sites owned by U.S. companies," he said
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...agon-buys-social-networking-spy-software.html
The U.S. Military has purchased software designed to create and control false online personas in an attempt to use social media and other websites to counter anti-U.S. messaging.
According to the contract between US Central Command (Centcom) and California company Ntrepid, the software would let each user control 10 personas, each "replete with background, history, supporting details, and cyber presences that are technically, culturally and geographically consistent." The software would also be able to let personas "appear to originate in nearly any part of the world" and interact through "conventional online services and social media platforms," while using a static IP address for each persona to maintain a consistent online identity.
These false online personas, also known as "sock puppets," would be equipped to seem like real people while entering online discussion through blogs, message boards, chats, and more. With a false persona, a user could discredit opponents, or create the semblance of consensus.
Centcom spokesman Commander Bill Speaks told The Guardian that the software "supports classified blogging activities on foreign-language websites to enable Centcom to counter violent extremist and enemy propaganda outside the US."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/17/online-persona-management_n_837153.html
Pentagon buys social networking 'spy software'
The Pentagon has purchased a pioneering software programme that creates fake identities on social media websites, in an attempt to infiltrate and influence suspected terrorists and extremists overseas.
The $2.7 million (£1.7 million) programme developed by San Diego firm Ntrepid allows one military user to create multiple personas on the internet and engage in extended online conversations and communications with suspects.
According to military procurement documents seen by the Washington Times, the software will "enable an operator to exercise a number of different online persons from the same workstation and without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries".
"Personas must be able to appear to originate in nearly any part of the world," the documents stated.
A spokesman for the US Central Command region, which includes the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, said that psychological warfare scheme was operating only on overseas social media sites.
"We do not target US audiences, and we do not conduct these activities on sites owned by U.S. companies," he said
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...agon-buys-social-networking-spy-software.html
The U.S. Military has purchased software designed to create and control false online personas in an attempt to use social media and other websites to counter anti-U.S. messaging.
According to the contract between US Central Command (Centcom) and California company Ntrepid, the software would let each user control 10 personas, each "replete with background, history, supporting details, and cyber presences that are technically, culturally and geographically consistent." The software would also be able to let personas "appear to originate in nearly any part of the world" and interact through "conventional online services and social media platforms," while using a static IP address for each persona to maintain a consistent online identity.
These false online personas, also known as "sock puppets," would be equipped to seem like real people while entering online discussion through blogs, message boards, chats, and more. With a false persona, a user could discredit opponents, or create the semblance of consensus.
Centcom spokesman Commander Bill Speaks told The Guardian that the software "supports classified blogging activities on foreign-language websites to enable Centcom to counter violent extremist and enemy propaganda outside the US."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/17/online-persona-management_n_837153.html
and thankfully the mods left it alone:
