Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media
The Guardian
16-Jul-2011

Military's 'sock puppet' software creates fake online identities to spread pro-American propaganda

Gen David Petraeus has previously said US
online psychological operations are aimed at 'countering extremist
ideology and propaganda'. Photograph: Cliff Owen/AP

The US military
is developing software that will let it secretly manipulate social
media sites by using fake online personas to influence internet
conversations and spread pro-American propaganda.

A Californian corporation has been awarded a contract with United States
Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US armed operations in the
Middle East and Central Asia, to develop what is described as an "online
persona management service" that will allow one US serviceman or woman
to control up to 10 separate identities based all over the world.

The
project has been likened by web experts to China's attempts to control
and restrict free speech on the internet. Critics are likely to complain
that it will allow the US military to create a false consensus in
online con... >>>

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