The Gentleperson's Guide To Forum Spies
July 23, 2012 1:30 AM Subscribe
*reads without moving lips*
posted by infini at 1:48 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by infini at 1:48 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Not sure if it is a spoof or not, but the techniques described seemed (to me) to be well designed, horribly effective and utterly fascinating.
The government involvement is less interesting to me than the content. It's a trollers handbook.
I can't vouch for this past the opinion of the author, but Slashdot in particular appears to be deleting all mentions of the article. The fact that SlashDot may be falling back to security through obscurity feels almost newsworthy.
posted by zoo at 2:02 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
The government involvement is less interesting to me than the content. It's a trollers handbook.
I can't vouch for this past the opinion of the author, but Slashdot in particular appears to be deleting all mentions of the article. The fact that SlashDot may be falling back to security through obscurity feels almost newsworthy.
posted by zoo at 2:02 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
This stuff seems to go back to 2008 (or probably had origins earlier, in newsgroups) from a Ron Paul site and what looks like a white supremacist bb. I have no idea who the actual author/s might be, or what their purposes were, but the amusing thing about this is that the guide itself seems to be a weapon of mass confusion, at least for the painfully earnest... because any community taking this stuff to heart would soon find themselves pretty much completely conversationally paralyzed. There's basically no comment that anyone could make that wouldn't fall into one of these rubrics for disinformation, etc.
posted by taz at 2:06 AM on July 23, 2012 [10 favorites]
posted by taz at 2:06 AM on July 23, 2012 [10 favorites]
Anyway - It's things like this that make me utterly sick of our government. So much so that I actually defaced a public building the other day. I don't care if they find out it was me. I bet there's no-one here can top that?
posted by zoo at 2:06 AM on July 23, 2012 [15 favorites]
posted by zoo at 2:06 AM on July 23, 2012 [15 favorites]
taz: You're absolutely correct.
I'm feeling a bit silly about posting this now. And for falling for the whole "So dangerous the internet is trying to kill it" conspiracy theory.
posted by zoo at 2:16 AM on July 23, 2012
I'm feeling a bit silly about posting this now. And for falling for the whole "So dangerous the internet is trying to kill it" conspiracy theory.
posted by zoo at 2:16 AM on July 23, 2012
Badly written, but the techniques described are indeed common, though I haven't seen them all collated in one place with formal names like this (I'm sure we are all familiar with the Concern Troll though).
I don't know about the US government, but the stuff described in the article is pretty close to what I experienced on Russian forums. This kind of behaviour was quite common, though a lot of commenters saw through it as well, so I am not sure how successful it can be said to be.
posted by vidur at 2:21 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
I don't know about the US government, but the stuff described in the article is pretty close to what I experienced on Russian forums. This kind of behaviour was quite common, though a lot of commenters saw through it as well, so I am not sure how successful it can be said to be.
posted by vidur at 2:21 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
This FPP is an excellent example of Technique #2. Good work, agent tazzoo!
posted by K.P. at 2:35 AM on July 23, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by K.P. at 2:35 AM on July 23, 2012 [6 favorites]
You know, this post got me thinking. What are all of your favorite weapons?
Mine are violence and sarcasm
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:58 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Mine are violence and sarcasm
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:58 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Wasn't there that Air Force procurement thingie a while back for multiple sockpuppetry management?
posted by infini at 2:58 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by infini at 2:58 AM on July 23, 2012
I'm more fascinated by the Slashdot part of the story, then the guide itself. It seems unlikely to be deleted from here, no?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:04 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:04 AM on July 23, 2012
What are all of your favorite weapons?
Irony and Cynicism. Brits huh?
posted by marienbad at 3:06 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Irony and Cynicism. Brits huh?
posted by marienbad at 3:06 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Pestilence and gravity.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:09 AM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:09 AM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
Whether or not this is useful in any "OMG, the Feds are on to me!" way, it's easier to recognize rhetorical weaslishness if you know what to call it, and it's easier to deal with the sorts of people who are an endless reservoir of negative energy (whether they're doing it because they're with The Man, or because Eeyore is their totem animal) if you can say, "Oh, that's derail #7."
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 3:16 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 3:16 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
A twenty pound housecat with a an astonishingly low body fat percentage.
posted by radwolf76 at 3:17 AM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by radwolf76 at 3:17 AM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
BP, did you read that link, though? It's like the worst sort of chain letter/spam/scam crap, and concludes with a "they're all out to get me" thing that seem more like a joke or troll to me:
The spies punishing me know who I am, so there's no harm telling everyone else, too. I will still be able to receive paper letters, but my online accounts are under assault as I write this. I'm hoping my fellow geeks will raise the Standard of Truth, after I fall. I may go silent after posting this.
posted by taz at 3:20 AM on July 23, 2012
The spies punishing me know who I am, so there's no harm telling everyone else, too. I will still be able to receive paper letters, but my online accounts are under assault as I write this. I'm hoping my fellow geeks will raise the Standard of Truth, after I fall. I may go silent after posting this.
posted by taz at 3:20 AM on July 23, 2012
Yeah, the overwhelming urge I get after reading those links is "I hope that person is okay."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:33 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:33 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yes, FPP is a twitch past that thin line between caution and paranoia. You can tell by the way there's supposedly an organized top-down plan from a nefarious elite; in the real world the top-down plans of nefarious elites are just about as sloppy and political as the plans everyone else cooks up
HOWEVER. This is a thing that actually happens. People get paid to comment. Even if you don't like the look of those articles, the concept is just basic PR in a world where people get their opinions from online forums. If you really want focused public relations management, what could be easier than hiring out a couple soft-minded goons to say good things about you for, say, $1/comment on a few fake accounts in the appropriate forums. They can do it part time from the safety of their dorm / mom's basement / fortress of virginity. I'd say if no one's done it yet I would, but then I'd be being an evil jerk.
There's a few good ways to avoid these scams:
1) Just ignore comments sections. You've already learned to do this with YouTube, I'm sure. Even aside from COINTELPRO agents massaging your mind into conformity, there are swarms of pro bono dorm/basement/fortress dwellers spewing nonsense out there.
2) If you're running a forum, moderate the living bejesus out of it (hi Jessamyn!) Again, pro bono trolls. Plus you can charge a nominal fee for accounts, maybe $5, so holding multiple phoney accounts isn't cost effective.
3) Go outside and deal with actual people.
posted by eurypteris at 3:35 AM on July 23, 2012 [7 favorites]
HOWEVER. This is a thing that actually happens. People get paid to comment. Even if you don't like the look of those articles, the concept is just basic PR in a world where people get their opinions from online forums. If you really want focused public relations management, what could be easier than hiring out a couple soft-minded goons to say good things about you for, say, $1/comment on a few fake accounts in the appropriate forums. They can do it part time from the safety of their dorm / mom's basement / fortress of virginity. I'd say if no one's done it yet I would, but then I'd be being an evil jerk.
There's a few good ways to avoid these scams:
1) Just ignore comments sections. You've already learned to do this with YouTube, I'm sure. Even aside from COINTELPRO agents massaging your mind into conformity, there are swarms of pro bono dorm/basement/fortress dwellers spewing nonsense out there.
2) If you're running a forum, moderate the living bejesus out of it (hi Jessamyn!) Again, pro bono trolls. Plus you can charge a nominal fee for accounts, maybe $5, so holding multiple phoney accounts isn't cost effective.
3) Go outside and deal with actual people.
posted by eurypteris at 3:35 AM on July 23, 2012 [7 favorites]
I have a couple of observations on make on this *looks around* but am concerned that I might be tracked down once I reveal my thoughts here on this online forum so openly on the internet. You see, I suspect there is indeed such a group or department, protecting you all from ye olde internet axe murderers, I might have even stumbled across one of their trainers a few decades ago somewhere in the Far East. But I hold my fingers still and my mouth shut because keywords are being tracked and one never knows if simply typing Fire will get one hauled off...................................,m xcl/.
posted by infini at 3:39 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by infini at 3:39 AM on July 23, 2012
Reading this list, I'd be kind of happy if bad people were trying these things, because they'd be so obviously misdirecting their resources by doing so. "Mwahaha! This 4chan image board is putty in our hands! It's a shame we can't put that time or energy into hiring lobbyists, but priorities!"
posted by JHarris at 3:43 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 3:43 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Well this certainly explains the course our circumcision and de-clawing threads take. Damn you, COINTELPRO.
posted by klarck at 3:48 AM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by klarck at 3:48 AM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
Reading this list, I'd be kind of happy if bad people were trying these things, because they'd be so obviously misdirecting their resources by doing so. "Mwahaha! This 4chan image board is putty in our hands! It's a shame we can't put that time or energy into hiring lobbyists, but priorities!"
What if they just have the funds to do both?
posted by jaduncan at 4:00 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
What if they just have the funds to do both?
posted by jaduncan at 4:00 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
I suspect this has been happening on Metafilter for some time now.
No hamburger.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:03 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
No hamburger.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:03 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Read it and thought, "This is a ready-made framework for a game that I wish someone would build."
posted by jackrational at 4:07 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by jackrational at 4:07 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
One of the Slashdot editors responded on Reddit to the Claims. Basically the guy is a total nutter, and you can still see his non-approved links in his submission queue.
This post should probably be flagged as it's nothing but unfounded conspiracy crap.
posted by inthe80s at 4:30 AM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
This post should probably be flagged as it's nothing but unfounded conspiracy crap.
posted by inthe80s at 4:30 AM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
I totally agree with eurypteris and think he is very trustworthy and also generous. Another terrific comment!
posted by orme at 4:49 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by orme at 4:49 AM on July 23, 2012
I discovered an FBI agent on a BBS back in college. No joke. Guy was nice, participated in the forum like anyone else, but his user handle was odd... Either all numeric or alphanumeric, I don't remember which. I sent him a private message asking what the deal was with the handle. He messages back saying he shouldn't be revealing it, but it was his FBI field agent identifier.
It's a sign of how things have changed that I wasn't weirded out by the fact a fed was on the site, because it never occurred to me that he was there in anything other than a personal capacity. Today, well, he'd never be using the field ID as his user name, and people would flip if they knew a fed was in on the conversation. Even if it was only when he was off-duty.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:16 AM on July 23, 2012
It's a sign of how things have changed that I wasn't weirded out by the fact a fed was on the site, because it never occurred to me that he was there in anything other than a personal capacity. Today, well, he'd never be using the field ID as his user name, and people would flip if they knew a fed was in on the conversation. Even if it was only when he was off-duty.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:16 AM on July 23, 2012
Nutter or not, this is exactly how I would go about manipulating a forum, and I'm sure it's done.
posted by dunkadunc at 5:20 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by dunkadunc at 5:20 AM on July 23, 2012
Kingpin is an entertaining read if you're into this kind of stuff. The core of the story is a confidence game played out across a handful of underground crime forums. It also confirms that the the feds have been doing this kind of thing for a loooong time.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:26 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:26 AM on July 23, 2012
I'm hoping my fellow geeks will raise the Standard of Truth, after I fall. I may go silent after posting this ... URRRRRGH.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:03 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by octobersurprise at 6:03 AM on July 23, 2012
I sent him a private message asking what the deal was with the handle. He messages back saying he shouldn't be revealing it, but it was his FBI field agent identifier.
And I'm a Nigerian prince.
posted by Fritz Langwedge at 6:24 AM on July 23, 2012 [6 favorites]
And I'm a Nigerian prince.
posted by Fritz Langwedge at 6:24 AM on July 23, 2012 [6 favorites]
What are all of your favorite weapons?
Fanatic devotion to the Pope and a nice red uniform!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:28 AM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
Fanatic devotion to the Pope and a nice red uniform!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:28 AM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
The question remains, is a cynical 'cite please' place like the blue easier to subvert or harder? Either way we will never know because blowing it off laughingly would occur anyway, right?
posted by infini at 6:49 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by infini at 6:49 AM on July 23, 2012
Right. It's not like the badge number would be anything secure, Fritz. Just a number. I have no reason to suspect the guy was making it up, because he had no reason to do so, and didn't publicize the information. If I signed up here and couldn't think of any name other than, say, my driver's license or student ID number, I may have used one or the other, because both are things I'd not be likely to forget.
BBS. 1993. The idea of the internet being something with a long memory that could be traced back to you wasn't in the public mind at the time.
posted by caution live frogs at 6:50 AM on July 23, 2012
BBS. 1993. The idea of the internet being something with a long memory that could be traced back to you wasn't in the public mind at the time.
posted by caution live frogs at 6:50 AM on July 23, 2012
I'm not disputing that the intel community has people watching boards for illegal activity. But if I had a dime for every tinhat who accused me of being a "shill," y'know, I'd have a lotta dimes.
posted by Fritz Langwedge at 7:31 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Fritz Langwedge at 7:31 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
ROU_Xenophobe, I would have had you pegged for "effectors and gridfire."
posted by Scientist at 8:49 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Scientist at 8:49 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
I am amazed at how many internet denziens don't believe this is happening all the time.
Military’s ‘persona’ software cost millions, used for ‘classified social media activities
Newest U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy: Trolling
National governments do this, corporations hire PR firms to do this. It is truly a wonder that we get any clear information at all.
Hell, I got offered a job to post links and drive traffic in social media. I am sure there are whole companies with people you can hire to do this.
posted by psycho-alchemy at 9:55 AM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
Military’s ‘persona’ software cost millions, used for ‘classified social media activities
Newest U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy: Trolling
National governments do this, corporations hire PR firms to do this. It is truly a wonder that we get any clear information at all.
Hell, I got offered a job to post links and drive traffic in social media. I am sure there are whole companies with people you can hire to do this.
posted by psycho-alchemy at 9:55 AM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
Fritz Langwedge: "I'm not disputing that the intel community has people watching boards for illegal activity. But if I had a dime for every tinhat who accused me of being a "shill," y'know, I'd have a lotta dimes."
But where would those dimes be FROM?
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:58 AM on July 23, 2012
But where would those dimes be FROM?
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:58 AM on July 23, 2012
A twenty pound housecat with a an astonishingly low body fat percentage.
That is not a housecat. I think the colloquial term is bobcat.
posted by bartonlong at 9:59 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
That is not a housecat. I think the colloquial term is bobcat.
posted by bartonlong at 9:59 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
ROU_Xenophobe, I would have had you pegged for "effectors and gridfire."
I didn't say the uniform was made of matter. Or that it wasn't superluminal.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:19 AM on July 23, 2012
I didn't say the uniform was made of matter. Or that it wasn't superluminal.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:19 AM on July 23, 2012
I have noticed that whenever I make any comment with the slightest overtones of any political views, I get a strange muslim sounding tweeter leaving me a weird message - each time its different, each time I mark them spam. Must they try such obvious tweetbait for poor lil me, all I have is dad's middle name which sounds like (but isn't, charades folks ) a Kashmiri surname.
Meh upon global paranoia ruining our happy utopia (hamburgerish maybe)
posted by infini at 10:41 AM on July 23, 2012
Meh upon global paranoia ruining our happy utopia (hamburgerish maybe)
posted by infini at 10:41 AM on July 23, 2012
You know, this post got me thinking. What are all of your favorite weapons?
Fear. Fear and surprise. Fear, surprise, and a ruthless efficiency.
posted by dhartung at 11:13 AM on July 23, 2012
Fear. Fear and surprise. Fear, surprise, and a ruthless efficiency.
posted by dhartung at 11:13 AM on July 23, 2012
Just got an memail after a comment I left in the drone thread asking me to tell them more about my grandma the terrorist.
/k, will let myself out now, you can keep the whitecoats
posted by infini at 11:33 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
/k, will let myself out now, you can keep the whitecoats
posted by infini at 11:33 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
"This is the 'ultimate victory' as the forum is no longer participated with by the general public and no longer useful in maintaining their freedoms."
I don't doubt government agencies sign up for activism forums, but it sounds like the lists of specific tactics are speculative.
I do like that posting video of a police officer "massively abusing his power against a very innocent individual" is a way to suss out the people who might respond to such abuses with criminal acts.
posted by RobotHero at 12:05 PM on July 23, 2012
I don't doubt government agencies sign up for activism forums, but it sounds like the lists of specific tactics are speculative.
I do like that posting video of a police officer "massively abusing his power against a very innocent individual" is a way to suss out the people who might respond to such abuses with criminal acts.
posted by RobotHero at 12:05 PM on July 23, 2012
I am prepared: trained in the arts of war and insurrection. I go to the hills with all my guns and dig fighting holes near water. Just let them come. Okay, not all the guns, just the AKs and a few boxes of ammo. Maybe some booby-traps and a flame-thrower, because the rioters will probably try to overun my camp when the socialist shut down the country, all them starving liberals caught with their pants down. Tree-hugging one-world dupes. Goddam commie terrorists and government socialist pigs won't have a chance against me, because I am read for them. Probably need the DVD player so I can watch the lastest neocommando training tactics on terrorist interrogation techniques, too. I pity all you fools who can't see this coming. Goddam Sheep, all of you. Letting our country go down the toilet. You know who you are. Who you wish you were.
Let's see, gotta remember the ice chest and a cuppla cases of brewski. Air mattress. Fishing pole. Generator. Charcol for the fire, and the steaks. Oh, and the ATV, so I can recon the area. And my laptop, so I can work on my manifesto while I'm awaiting the attack.
I'll be back Saturday, in time for the game.
(There are probably enough word triggers in this to get a whole Cointelpro task force onto the blue before sunset. If they aren't already here. We must root them out. No mercy.)
posted by mule98J at 12:14 PM on July 23, 2012
Let's see, gotta remember the ice chest and a cuppla cases of brewski. Air mattress. Fishing pole. Generator. Charcol for the fire, and the steaks. Oh, and the ATV, so I can recon the area. And my laptop, so I can work on my manifesto while I'm awaiting the attack.
I'll be back Saturday, in time for the game.
(There are probably enough word triggers in this to get a whole Cointelpro task force onto the blue before sunset. If they aren't already here. We must root them out. No mercy.)
posted by mule98J at 12:14 PM on July 23, 2012
To: Michael A. Wilkins, Langley <mwilkins@fbi.gov>
Subject: Re: 2b distribution breach
INTERNAL MEMO: CLASSIFIED
Agent Wilkins:
Alerted this morning to new occurrence of Agenda 2b on site 2004-met (http://www.metafilter.com/118170/The-Gentlepersons-Guide-To-Forum-Spies). Employed standard disinfo with accounts "taz," "vidur," "Joey Michaels," "inthe80s," "JHarris." Additional noise diffusion supplied from dormant handles "radwolf76," "marienbad," "Fritz Langwedge," and "jackrational." Partial information containment, community warmness approx 75-85 degrees. Will update again at 1700 EDT.
Jack R. Stewart
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Digital Information Control
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:51 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Subject: Re: 2b distribution breach
INTERNAL MEMO: CLASSIFIED
Agent Wilkins:
Alerted this morning to new occurrence of Agenda 2b on site 2004-met (http://www.metafilter.com/118170/The-Gentlepersons-Guide-To-Forum-Spies). Employed standard disinfo with accounts "taz," "vidur," "Joey Michaels," "inthe80s," "JHarris." Additional noise diffusion supplied from dormant handles "radwolf76," "marienbad," "Fritz Langwedge," and "jackrational." Partial information containment, community warmness approx 75-85 degrees. Will update again at 1700 EDT.
Jack R. Stewart
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Digital Information Control
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:51 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, shit. Posted in the wrong tab. Admin, please delete my last post?
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:51 PM on July 23, 2012
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:51 PM on July 23, 2012
sincerity and bitterness
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 12:55 PM on July 23, 2012
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 12:55 PM on July 23, 2012
I'm feeling left out. Here I was, sure that I was a sockpuppet.
posted by infini at 1:26 PM on July 23, 2012
posted by infini at 1:26 PM on July 23, 2012
Can I ask why this was posted here, instead of over on insurrection.metafilter.com? It seems like it would get a lot more substantive commentary on the Red.
posted by hattifattener at 7:57 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by hattifattener at 7:57 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
In a few Metafilter 'death of Digg' posts, it was purported common knowledge that Ron Paul types infiltrated and overran the site, causing articles they liked to end up on top and getting rid of articles they didn't like.
Now, in the messages of this post, people seem to be saying that this just doesn't happen--it's all crazy conspiracy theory.
I'm confused.
Unless it is just the idea of an actual existing COINTELPRO existing that people are calling crazy.
posted by eye of newt at 9:19 PM on July 23, 2012
Now, in the messages of this post, people seem to be saying that this just doesn't happen--it's all crazy conspiracy theory.
I'm confused.
Unless it is just the idea of an actual existing COINTELPRO existing that people are calling crazy.
posted by eye of newt at 9:19 PM on July 23, 2012
So, where do I sign up to be a COINTELPRO agent? And how do I get into the special SUNDEVIL operations group? I'm sure involves going through AGING DECLASSIFIED CODE NAME training in CANCELLED PROGRAM so that Gail Thackerary will stand for me before the Star Chamber.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:46 AM on July 24, 2012
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:46 AM on July 24, 2012
You have to know the secret code words : Q tips and Dim.
posted by infini at 10:39 AM on July 24, 2012
posted by infini at 10:39 AM on July 24, 2012
I suspect it feels easier to dismiss this because the document has weird tonal shifts. Like what I quoted above, where it's written as if it's a guide for the infiltrating agent, yet it refers to the forum as "useful in maintaining their freedoms."
It appears to be cobbled together from different sources. The "How to Spot a Spy" section sounds like it's for meat-space activist organizations, so it could easily be 30 years old.
There are documented cases of government agents infiltrating activist groups, and it seems obvious they must be doing something similar online. And it's got to be cheaper than sending someone in person.
But emotionally, if this guy has written out his theories as a fake "secret tactics manual" and people pick up on that fakeness, that's going to turn a lot of people off who might have been open to it if he'd been more forward that it's just his educated guesses as to the tactics they would use.
posted by RobotHero at 12:58 PM on July 25, 2012
It appears to be cobbled together from different sources. The "How to Spot a Spy" section sounds like it's for meat-space activist organizations, so it could easily be 30 years old.
There are documented cases of government agents infiltrating activist groups, and it seems obvious they must be doing something similar online. And it's got to be cheaper than sending someone in person.
But emotionally, if this guy has written out his theories as a fake "secret tactics manual" and people pick up on that fakeness, that's going to turn a lot of people off who might have been open to it if he'd been more forward that it's just his educated guesses as to the tactics they would use.
posted by RobotHero at 12:58 PM on July 25, 2012
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posted by Dr Dracator at 1:38 AM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]