Bannon's next: FBI probe to look at Breitbart, InfoWars - must read for some posters

[Lakhota]

BY PETER STONE AND GREG GORDON
McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Federal investigators are examining whether far-right news sites played any role last year in a Russian cyber operation that dramatically widened the reach of news stories — some fictional — that favored Donald Trump’s presidential bid, two people familiar with the inquiry say.

Operatives for Russia appear to have strategically timed the computer commands, known as “bots,” to blitz social media with links to the pro-Trump stories at times when the billionaire businessman was on the defensive in his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton, these sources said.

The bots’ end products were largely millions of Twitter and Facebook posts carrying links to stories on conservative internet sites such as Breitbart News and InfoWars, as well as on the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News, the sources said. Some of the stories were false or mixed fact and fiction, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the bot attacks are part of an FBI-led investigation into a multifaceted Russian operation to influence last year’s elections.

Investigators examining the bot attacks are exploring whether the far-right news operations took any actions to assist Russia’s operatives. Their participation, however, wasn’t necessary for the bots to amplify their news through Twitter and Facebook.

The investigation of the bot-engineered traffic, which appears to be in its early stages, is being driven by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, whose inquiries rarely result in criminal charges and whose main task has been to reconstruct the nature of the Kremlin’s cyber attack and determine ways to prevent another.

Much More: FBI’s Russian-influence probe includes a look at Breitbart, InfoWars news sites

If you care anything about politics - you should definitely read the entire link. Rachel Maddow just finished a detailed discussion of this. It was awesome - and scary!

 

[SassyIrishLass]

Madcow? LMAO

 

[Lakhota]

Madcow? LMAO

No, dumbass - McClatchy.

 

[Lakhota]

From the OP:

Russia’s offensive might have been anticipated from a speech a top Kremlin official made in February 2016.

In the speech in Moscow, Andrey Krutskikh told a conference of Russian computer security officials that the Putin government would be unleashing a cyber nuclear attack reminiscent of Russia’s 1949 development of the atom bomb. Krutskikh, whose speech was firstreported by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius and independently confirmed by McClatchy, also reportedly said the offensive would cause U.S. officials to gain respect for Russia’s cyber capabilities.

“Russia has again figured out from its old Soviet playbook that its greatest weapon in the world is information,” said Lauren Goodrich, senior Eurasia analyst at the Stratfor Corp., a global intelligence firm based in Austin, Texas. “Its information and disinformation campaigns have skyrocketed.”

She said the Kremlin’s budget for “public information” had quadrupled this year as it mounted similar cyber attacks on behalf of right-wing candidates in France, Germany and other European countries.

 

[leftwinger]

How would this be any different than da' Beast dumping $1bil in MSM ads against T-rump? hiring mentally ill to riot? Blocking freeways? Causing fights inside private events. Bussing illegal voters? Submitting illegal votes? All dem, all day. Filthy.


Ill take your answer/apology off the air, no keyboard.

 

[Lastamender]

Madcow? LMAO

No, dumbass - McClatchy.

You disregard those two sources when they are used. You have just improved their credibility. Thanks you are a real secret weapon.

 

[Lakhota]

I look forward to some intelligent and sane responses to this thread topic.

 

[Eaglewings]

I am watching this bot thing right now, unbelievable...it is all going down...wow

 

[SassyIrishLass]

I look forward to some intelligent and sane responses to this thread topic.

You should have started with sane and intelligent

 

[Lakhota]

I am watching this bot thing right now, unbelievable...it is all going down...wow

Makes one wonder how many commie "bots" are on this forum.

 

[tinydancer]

I would suggest they check out the number of left wing whacko bots at USMB.

 

[Lastamender]

I look forward to some intelligent and sane responses to this thread topic.

What would you do with that? The only response is you running with more of this lie is pathetic.

 

[leftwinger]

I am watching this bot thing right now, unbelievable...it is all going down...wow

I don't watch anything anymore. Comey never does anything, but takes years to do it. We'll see lol!


Edit: I might watch "some", TV may be on in the background to Tucker, Hannity, Varney etc. But I am no longer trusting or paying attention. Plus Trump won! NCAA baby! Just had a 4 day binge on four channels 12 hours/day.

 

[Lakhota]

I would suggest they check out the number of left wing whacko bots at USMB.

Please troll another thread with your nonsense.

 

[Defiant1]

BY PETER STONE AND GREG GORDON
McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Federal investigators are examining whether far-right news sites played any role last year in a Russian cyber operation that dramatically widened the reach of news stories — some fictional — that favored Donald Trump’s presidential bid, two people familiar with the inquiry say.

Operatives for Russia appear to have strategically timed the computer commands, known as “bots,” to blitz social media with links to the pro-Trump stories at times when the billionaire businessman was on the defensive in his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton, these sources said.

The bots’ end products were largely millions of Twitter and Facebook posts carrying links to stories on conservative internet sites such as Breitbart News and InfoWars, as well as on the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News, the sources said. Some of the stories were false or mixed fact and fiction, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the bot attacks are part of an FBI-led investigation into a multifaceted Russian operation to influence last year’s elections.

Investigators examining the bot attacks are exploring whether the far-right news operations took any actions to assist Russia’s operatives. Their participation, however, wasn’t necessary for the bots to amplify their news through Twitter and Facebook.

The investigation of the bot-engineered traffic, which appears to be in its early stages, is being driven by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, whose inquiries rarely result in criminal charges and whose main task has been to reconstruct the nature of the Kremlin’s cyber attack and determine ways to prevent another.

Much More: FBI’s Russian-influence probe includes a look at Breitbart, InfoWars news sites

If you care anything about politics - you should definitely read the entire link. Rachel Maddow just finished a detailed discussion of this. It was awesome - and scary!

So the feds are investigating legal acts?

 

[tinydancer]

So what's illegal about this activity? And do we do it as well? Odds are you can bet your sweet bippy we do.

As well as backing the Muslim Brotherhood to overthrow Mubarak, backed the killing of Gadaffi (remember we came, we saw, he died?).

Oh still trying to overthrow Assad giving the planet ISIS. Backed the illegal overthrow of a duly elected Ukrainian President and his party which of course plunged the coiuntry into civil war.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

I bet Syrians would have been thrilled to death if the USA had only used "bots" in their elections.

 

[tinydancer]

I would suggest they check out the number of left wing whacko bots at USMB.

Please troll another thread with your nonsense.

After you said this?

"Makes one wonder how many commie "bots" are on this forum."

Quick asides aren't trolling.

 

[Derelict_Drvr]

BY PETER STONE AND GREG GORDON
McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Federal investigators are examining whether far-right news sites played any role last year in a Russian cyber operation that dramatically widened the reach of news stories — some fictional — that favored Donald Trump’s presidential bid, two people familiar with the inquiry say.

Operatives for Russia appear to have strategically timed the computer commands, known as “bots,” to blitz social media with links to the pro-Trump stories at times when the billionaire businessman was on the defensive in his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton, these sources said.

The bots’ end products were largely millions of Twitter and Facebook posts carrying links to stories on conservative internet sites such as Breitbart News and InfoWars, as well as on the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News, the sources said. Some of the stories were false or mixed fact and fiction, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the bot attacks are part of an FBI-led investigation into a multifaceted Russian operation to influence last year’s elections.

Investigators examining the bot attacks are exploring whether the far-right news operations took any actions to assist Russia’s operatives. Their participation, however, wasn’t necessary for the bots to amplify their news through Twitter and Facebook.

The investigation of the bot-engineered traffic, which appears to be in its early stages, is being driven by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, whose inquiries rarely result in criminal charges and whose main task has been to reconstruct the nature of the Kremlin’s cyber attack and determine ways to prevent another.

Much More: FBI’s Russian-influence probe includes a look at Breitbart, InfoWars news sites

If you care anything about politics - you should definitely read the entire link. Rachel Maddow just finished a detailed discussion of this. It was awesome - and scary!

I want to meet this liberal clown named Unnamed Source. He/she/it seems real popular among the Left-Wing LMSM.

 

[Eaglewings]

I look forward to some intelligent and sane responses to this thread topic.

What would you do with that? The only response is you running with more of this lie is pathetic.

What? This is being investigated by the FBI...it is not a lie.

 

[Eaglewings]

I am watching this bot thing right now, unbelievable...it is all going down...wow

I don't watch anything anymore. Comey never does anything, but takes years to do it. We'll see lol!

I will try to find the video for you....it is crazy what is coming out. Not of our generation ...

Remember the simple days of kids calling people " Is your refrigerator running? better go catch it..days are gone...lol..