In the section around social media, it describes how IRA employees masquerade on EVERY side of a wedge issue, with the goal being to polarize.
Like, their goal isn’t to crush BLM or take away abortion rights. Those are table stakes. They don’t REALLY care. That doesn’t destroy a democracy.
Their goal is to make having difficult conversations impossible by making each side appear to be as irrational and shrill as possible. They want people to conclude that whoever is on the other side of any issue is a dangerous lost cause, unfit for participation in society.
With this understanding, people need to understand that whatever your political alignment, there are IRA employees in your spaces saying things you might agree with. But just because you agree with them, doesn’t mean that their methodologies aren’t specifically tailored to damage Western Democracy.
it describes how IRA employees masquerade on EVERY side of a wedge issue, with the goal being to polarize.
I’m pretty sure I’ve encountered several of those on Lemmy. I won’t say who, but they frequently get called out and their post/comment history seems to confirm that.
Those types are classified as “false ally” if I’m not mistaken?
Ah. Well, I don’t know what to tell you there. lol I can only speak for myself.
Personally, I never accuse anyone of anything; I merely look at their history and judge for myself and respond accordingly (or not) on a case by case basis.
I did amend my first comment to caution against assuming someone is a troll just because they disagree with you. That also seems to be common from what I’ve seen: too many people (not just on Lemmy) seem to completely lack nuance and see the world in a black and white, binary way.
It’s pretty noticeable on Lemmy. I’m not entirely sure why there’s so many bad actors on here. On the one hand the small community means their hate dominates many threads, on the other there’s barely anyone here to influence.
There’s definitely also a lot of people who see the bad example created by bad actors and copy their style of discourse. I imagine a bunch of them will show up in this thread.
Get in early to look legitimate, and seed the hate within a niche group before it goes mainstream to ensure less work in the future.
I imagine they target every social media platform, including ones that are just starting, to various degrees. It’s easier to be part of the “in group” when that in group is smaller.
These guys thrive in small communities. Look at a lot of the city subreddits. They’ve been taken over by right wing reactionaries claiming there’s an unprecedented crime wave.
Here’s one:
Actually READ the Mueller Report.
In the section around social media, it describes how IRA employees masquerade on EVERY side of a wedge issue, with the goal being to polarize.
Like, their goal isn’t to crush BLM or take away abortion rights. Those are table stakes. They don’t REALLY care. That doesn’t destroy a democracy.
Their goal is to make having difficult conversations impossible by making each side appear to be as irrational and shrill as possible. They want people to conclude that whoever is on the other side of any issue is a dangerous lost cause, unfit for participation in society.
With this understanding, people need to understand that whatever your political alignment, there are IRA employees in your spaces saying things you might agree with. But just because you agree with them, doesn’t mean that their methodologies aren’t specifically tailored to damage Western Democracy.
I’m pretty sure I’ve encountered several of those on Lemmy. I won’t say who, but they frequently get called out and their post/comment history seems to confirm that.
Those types are classified as “false ally” if I’m not mistaken?
If I were getting paid for this I’d be a lot less grumpy
If you were getting paid for this you’d still be grumpy, but it would be performative instead of genuine.
I’m glad my sincerity comes across in this medium. I’m really quite grumpy.
I know, right?! 😆
That’s why I’m encouraging everyone to chip in and crowdsource it a bit.
No, I mean being a false ally. I get accused of it all the time and I’m just mad I’m doing it for free.
Ah. Well, I don’t know what to tell you there. lol I can only speak for myself.
Personally, I never accuse anyone of anything; I merely look at their history and judge for myself and respond accordingly (or not) on a case by case basis.
I did amend my first comment to caution against assuming someone is a troll just because they disagree with you. That also seems to be common from what I’ve seen: too many people (not just on Lemmy) seem to completely lack nuance and see the world in a black and white, binary way.
I think I’ll just turn around and accuse them of being IRA assets and cite the Mueller Report as evidence
This point was shown in the doc Hypernormalization too.
It’s pretty noticeable on Lemmy. I’m not entirely sure why there’s so many bad actors on here. On the one hand the small community means their hate dominates many threads, on the other there’s barely anyone here to influence.
There’s definitely also a lot of people who see the bad example created by bad actors and copy their style of discourse. I imagine a bunch of them will show up in this thread.
Get in early to look legitimate, and seed the hate within a niche group before it goes mainstream to ensure less work in the future.
I imagine they target every social media platform, including ones that are just starting, to various degrees. It’s easier to be part of the “in group” when that in group is smaller.
These guys thrive in small communities. Look at a lot of the city subreddits. They’ve been taken over by right wing reactionaries claiming there’s an unprecedented crime wave.