FBI all over Facebook and undercover in its administrative offices: In 2013, the UKs Freedom House assessment of global internet freedom absurdly gave the US high marks, saying it had observed no internet controls there. Evidently, their methodology lacked rigorous means of assessment. For example, under the category called “Progovernment commentators manipulate discussions” it was surprising to see they had given the US a perfect score despite blatant FBI infiltration of the Occupy Movement, its administration and websites. The FBI had helpfully provided to the movement ‘volunteers’ who were undercover agents and experienced web programmers who could take control of many of the various websites and their dispersed web site discussions and censor or steer discussion. The FBI and other intelligence agencies use “sock puppets” – multiple fake user accounts to hide their affiliation with the FBI, and “meat puppets” – undeclared, paid for commentary, made to look like grass roots activists, regular members of the public, to bolster the FBI’s agenda. Complaints about such practices by PR firms when discovered typically result in legal threats like cease-and-desist orders from lawyers. Wikipedia sent one such warning to a PR firm that was manipulating entries on the site: “When outside publicity firms and their agents conceal or misrepresent their identity by creating or allowing false, unauthorized or misleading user accounts, Wikipedia’s reputation is harmed.” Threatening the FBI or ASIO with legal action for interfering with a protest movement website would likely be met with claims of denial, stonewalled and buried. The FBI’s egregious manipulation of the Occupy websites and related Facebook pages, for example, would make any PR firm’s efforts seem pale in comparison to the massive scale of the FBI’s effort to control the public dialogue and related perceptions. The FBI placed frequent, obnoxious posts on various Occupy websites intended to demean, humiliate and demoralise others and the movement. I posted some responses to the abuse with something to the effect of: “Paid undercover FBI agents are posting disparaging and demeaning comments on this thread with the intention of demoralising and discouraging activists. Ignore demeaning posts and keep up the good work.” My posts were, without exception removed by the site administrator. I was subsequently blacklisted on the main Wall Street Occupy site accompanied by a cheeky message just prior to Christmas that said “Nice talking. Have a good break.” and a wink and smile symbol ” ; )” and then I was barred. The FBI’s efforts at manipulation and infiltration of Facebook were not mentioned either in the Freedom House report. The apparent manipulation of my ads, repeated malfunctions and delays, violation of user rights and accounts seemed to be the work of the FBI. Evidently, at the time, the FBI was still trying to get a handle on the best way to manipulate undesired advertisements on Facebook. What is clear is that US authorities routinely censor comments on social media sites like Facebook. How would Freedom House be expected to know about these things? It didn’t seem to have a clue about what was happening in the US. Yet it was providing scores – and ranking the US and UK highly! I wondered what else they had missed. At least Freedom House had penalised the US after Snowden’s leaks revealed the extent of NSA surveillance of the internet and its users. But without Snowden’s evidence, they would presumably have missed altogether this disturbing interference it seems. ---------------------------------------------------------------- I left the USA in 1999 to flee US government political persecution, an intensive vendetta led by the FBI after publishing a report on Phoenix based Freeport McMoran, Wall Street mining analyst (story link below). FBI targets Wall Street analyst (and girlfriend) covering Freeport McMoran: Former Wall Street analyst (working for SBC Warburg – now part of UBS) targeted by US and Australian intelligence agencies (FBI and ASIO) after publishing report touching on US State Department investigation into allegations US copper/gold mining company Freeport McMoran was involved in the killing of indigenous protestors in West Papua, Indonesia. Agents named [27 March 2014]. https://dl.dropboxusercontent/u/38850305/The%20FBX%20Blog%2018%20March%202014.docx
Posted on: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 03:49:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015