Russia's Internet Propaganda Farm Is Being Dragged To Court For Labor Violations
from the these-are-not-the-droids-you're-looking-for dept
While propaganda is everywhere, we've been exploring lately how Putin's Russia has been taking Internet disinformation to an entirely new level. Numerous whistleblowers and media reports have spent the last year or so unearthing Russian Internet propaganda factories, where armies of sockpuppets get paid 40,000 to 50,000 rubles ($800 to $1,000) a month to create proxied, viable, fake personas -- specifically tasked with pumping the internet full of toxic disinformation twenty-four hours a day.Unlike some similar campaigns by the U.S. Russia originally didn't try very hard to hide these operations' existence, but that's already changing. As numerous writers have discovered (myself included), even pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn. If you still haven't perused it, this recent New York Times Magazine breakdown of Russia's troll armies is essential reading.
In light of Putin's not-so-gentle treatment of critics, the bravery some of the program's whistleblowers continues to be impressive. Lyudmila Savchuk worked at the Russian Internet bile factory for two months, ultimately leaving after finding the work morally repugnant. She's since been leaking a treasure trove of information about the program, including clandestine videos showing some of the program employees at work. She's also spearheading a lawsuit against The Agency for Internet Studies, which was finally dragged into court this week after missing the first court hearing.
The company's specifically being sued for underpayment and a number of labor violations, since it unsurprisingly wasn't keen on providing employees with traditionally-necessary paperwork. Amusingly, a representative for "The Agency" hoped to settle with Savchuk, but she's apparently having none of it:
"The agency is now seeking to avoid public scrutiny by offering to compensate her. Yekaterina Nazarova, defending, told the Petrogradsky district court judge the agency was ready to settle with Savchuk, who had asked for a symbolic sum of 10,000 roubles (£118). Nazarova offered to wire the sum to Savchuk’s account, then quickly left the court without speaking to the press.The problem is that the operation Savchuk's trying to shut down operates under a spiderweb of various companies with an endless variety of names across numerous different industries (including construction) -- all of which are protected by the Russian government. As such, it's going to be a Sisyphean and dangerous game of legal whac-a-mole; one you'd hope Savchuk survives.
Savchuk said: “I am very pleased, they pretended they don’t exist at all and now they have come out of the shadows for the first time – we saw their representative. But I will feel that I won only after the troll factory closes completely."
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Filed Under: internet, internet trolls, labor violations, lyudmila savchuk, propaganda, russia, trolls, vladimir putin
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All that's ignoring the USSR's penchant for declaring dissidents insane.
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"even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
It's not so much the pointing, silly minion, as the RABID INSISTENCE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT compared to US / UK / Israeli propaganda trying to literally prepare the public for war against Russia. -- And China, which is definitely moving closer to Russia. -- POTENTIAL NUCLEAR WAR IS BEING GINNED UP OUT OF NOTHING.
Enough with the Russia baiting. The European populace have woken up. Stupid Americains likely won't, so look forward to WW3.
The US / UK / Israel is attacking with proxy armies not just Russia but Iran and Syria; Russia is only defending.
Parallels with Orwell's "1984" are remarkable: total surveillance and constant "war", including domesic attacks. About all that's different is the "Goldstein" character was re-named "Osama bin Laden".
You kids are too distracted by old white men you label crazy conspiracy kooks to even consider that other old white men may in fact BE crazy and controlling false flag attacks for purpose of taking over.
>>> "New York Times Magazine breakdown of Russia's troll armies is essential reading." -- For the latest propaganda promoting US fascism. Are you neo-liberal or neo-con, minion? Even that hardly matters now as merge into one fascism.
Sourcing "news" from NYT is mere stenography of The Official Story.
The Masnick itself said of The New York Times: "blatant fearmongering without any specifics. It's pure "keep fear alive" in action -- aided along by a stenographer at the NY Times. All the propaganda that's fit to print." -- When it suited his purpose.
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150528/06051531134/nytimes-plays-role-keeping-fear-alive -with-pure-fearmongering-over-patriot-act-renewal.shtml
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Re: "even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
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Re: "even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
Urgh. Only in the mind of a sandal-wearing "anti"-war movement follower could an imperial aggression on a nation that cannot possibly have the power to defend itself let alone attack Russia at all could it be considered "defending".
"Parallels with Orwell's "1984" are remarkable: total surveillance and constant "war", including domesic attacks. About all that's different is the "Goldstein" character was re-named "Osama bin Laden"."
Fucking sandal-wearer.
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Re: Re: "even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
And let me add, I am so sick to death of this mentality. As if the US controls the whole fucking world. As if IT is the source of fascism and not the most reactionary religious theocratic fascism the planet has ever seen in the form of the Islamic state.
How can people such as the above moron call themselves Leftists at all? "US doing a mission of 'liberation'? LOL! Suicide bombers resisting the Iraq occupation? THAT'S totally liberation! Like the march of the Minute Men!" As the Islamic fascists butcher and slaughter without any hint of empathy for Iraqis.
It doesn't get enough condemnation. Even the "right" of America doesn't come down hard enough on it. It persists and is expected to be taken at face value with no criticism among these circles. As if the US is 100% evil/worse than Hitler and that is the end of the conversation.
I wonder how history books will judge such armchair crackpots.
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Re: Re: Re: "even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
Oh, come on. They're just Shias (ptheh!). Besides, Allah will sort it out in the end.
We'll all be in Elysium one day. Islamo fascisti just advance the timetable a bit. On the geologic timescale, we're all just dust under someone else's fingernails.
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Re: Re: Re: "even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
Disgusting.
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Re: Re: "even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
If you're referring to Russia's activity in Ukraine: Russia has taken a lesson from the US: don't wait for the enemy to set foot on your soil but take the fight to the enemy's soil.
Such actions being RIGHT are another story.
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Re: Re: Re: "even [FOR 3RD TIME] pointing out that these operations exist will grab you a heaping helping of anonymous troll scorn."
Note, that part of Ukraine was part of USSR until Khruschev gave it to Ukraine (which is why East Ukrainians are largely Russian speakers), and the Russians have been there all along because their fresh water fleet is based there. Russia didn't need to invade when they were already there.
However, continue spouting the party line if it makes you feel good.
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YESTERDAY I HIT MY HAND WITH A HAMMER AND MY THUMB STARTED TO BLEED, MY HAND LITERALLY FALSE FLAGGED MY HAMMER
FUCKING MIKE MASNICK!
FUCKING AMERICA!
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Propaganda
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Re: Propaganda
Obviously, when the propagandists will it. "The real question" is, will you let them?
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The truth
Is Savchuk story more true than the story of the premature nurse that told us about the Iraki soldiers that tossed the babies on the floor to steal the incubators? More true, because the story about the throwing babies on the floor and stealing incubators were all lies. Softening up our resistance to participate in the war.
Is the internally interconnected bot network more true than Powells show of WMD at the United Nations. More true, because Powell lied all of the worlds leaders right in the face. Also to soften our resistance to war.
In particular, since they seem designed to fail. Why being that petty with the bribe, and why focus so much attention on commenting on other propagandists propaganda instead of places like this and other places that is actually read? If it is Russian propaganda it is unbelievable in more than one sense. Why not focusing on things that are actually true and give a favorable view of the Russian stance? If it isn't true, and it is the US, why not leverage the grip of the main stream media instead of these queer efforts?
If it is rented effort. Then who have rented them, and why?
What about the bullocks about writing shit about her Ukrainian husband? This is so far from the Russian position it hurts. The Russian position is that USA/EU did their best to place nutty cronies in Kiev, whom managed to seize half of Ukraine, and then use the military loyal to the "government" to bomb the living daylight out of a lot of Ukrainian citizens. It is the US propaganda version that portray Russia as anti Ukraine. - Is this an effort to discredit US propaganda as obviously fake, if it is, why? Is it US propaganda that is used to play main-stream-media viewers? Is it hired "talent" that just don't know what to portray at all?
I find it odd. Really odd.
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She is my love
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Savchuk
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Savchuk's the best!!
My respect to Savchuk and Chan!
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Re: Savchuk's the best!!
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Screw trolls!
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