September 4, 20241 yr Popular Post Peeling this away from the CR thread on propaganda and the Ukraine thread. There were pretty significant coordinated actions against Russian covert influence operations today. Justice indicted two Russians and seized several domains, Treasury sanctioned Margarita Simonyan (she’s famous on the Ukraine thread) and others, and State slapped a foreign mission designation on Simonyan’s company Rossiya Segodnaya (translation: Russia Today) and pushed out visa restrictions on unnamed Russkies. The big bombshell news is that Simonyan’s RT brand funneled tens of millions of dollars to a U.S. company that employs people like Tim Pool and Dave Rubin to create Russia-approved content and videos that got pretty outstanding reach. But beyond that, this network of actions allows people to piece together how the machine works. RT, for instance, doesn’t really exist. It’s merely a convenient brand used within Rossiya Segodnaya internationally while Rossiya Segodnaya operates more of a media empire. At the Kremlin’s direction, the RT content and messaging then gets amplified and spread via a network of Kremlin security service controlled networks run by shadowy entities like the Social Design Agency and Structura, using various LLM tools and botnets. The big piece here is two-fold and different from past shady Russia shit in that it differs from just propaganda and disinformation. The Russians are actually (covertly) financing pretty significant U.S. media figures and not just kooky bots. The indictments are careful to say the Americans are “unwitting,” which you can decide the credibility of. The second is the clear attempt to move beyond just chaos and discord and instead move to actually advancing Kremlin aims and policies including on Ukraine and upcoming elections. A slate of today’s actions at the links: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2559 https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-rt-employees-indicted-covertly-funding-and-directing-us-company-published-thousands https://www.state.gov/state-department-actions-to-counter-russias-election-interference-and-foreign-malign-influence-operations/
September 4, 20241 yr 47 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said: The big bombshell news is that Simonyan’s RT brand funneled tens of millions of dollars to a U.S. company that employs people like Tim Pool and Dave Rubin to create Russia-approved content and videos that got pretty outstanding reach. Okay, where can we see the details on that. Because it's important. It's important the next time some fucking asshole around here re-posts some Pool or Rubin shit to be able to show them directly how those mouthpieces are Russian propaganda outlets.
September 4, 20241 yr Pssshh, it's not like a coordinated effort from one of our oldest enemies to spread propaganda and divide and weaken Western civilization from 5,000 miles away could ever have any real, lasting effect on our sacred institutions and way of life.
September 4, 20241 yr Author 13 minutes ago, Brisketexan said: Okay, where can we see the details on that. Because it's important. It's important the next time some fucking asshole around here re-posts some Pool or Rubin shit to be able to show them directly how those mouthpieces are Russian propaganda outlets. They are not named in the indictment because they were “deceived” allegedly. But it’s all pretty fucking clear.
September 4, 20241 yr Popular Post 5 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said: They are not named in the indictment because they were “deceived” allegedly. But it’s all pretty fucking clear. Got it. And I love Tim Pool's self-defense: "Russia didn't tell me what to post! Instead, they like the fact that my stuff was SO pro-Russia and SO divisive to Americans that they paid me to KEEP posting it!" Yeah....that's not the stirring defense you think it is, Tim. You were already committing so much fucking treason that they just paid you to keep doing what you were already doing isn't any real moral high ground.
September 4, 20241 yr I have a dream that Margie will go to the front to interview the TikTok Chechens - and will receive the treatment by the whole battalion that she so justly deserves.
September 4, 20241 yr It’s no surprise that so many Americans today fall for devious foreign propagsnda, just like a lot of their stupid forefathers joined the German-American Bund prior to WW2.
September 4, 20241 yr This dude is a journalist with Talking Points Memo. Says his account getting hacked from Russia despite having 2FA was the last straw so he's abandoning the nazi site.
September 5, 20241 yr 40 minutes ago, Chopper said: This dude is a journalist with Talking Points Memo. Says his account getting hacked from Russia despite having 2FA was the last straw so he's abandoning the nazi site. Not even using a VPN or did the VPN claim they were in Russia? Either way, isn’t twitter fucking banned by Russia? Yet twitter is cool with logins from Russia?
September 5, 20241 yr 29 minutes ago, Foosters said: Damn. Who's Prong Horn going to get his info from now? Some furry with fake boobs?
September 5, 20241 yr 3 hours ago, Gatorubet said: I have a dream that Margie will go to the front to interview the TikTok Chechens - and will receive the treatment by the whole battalion that she so justly deserves.
September 5, 20241 yr Wired has an article about Tenet Media. https://www.wired.com/story/right-wing-influencer-network-tenet-media-allegedly-spread-russian-disinformation/ Quote Tenet allegedly received some $9.7 million from RT, according to the DOJ. Of that, $8.7 million went to the production companies of three unnamed commentators, the indictment claims. One, referred to as “Commentator-1”—the description appears to be of either Johnson or Rubin—was allegedly contracted for $400,000 per month for four weekly videos. The nearly $10 million Tenet Media allegedly received from RT “represents nearly 90%” of funds deposited in the company’s accounts, the DOJ claims.
September 5, 20241 yr 2 hours ago, Armybrat said: It’s no surprise that so many Americans today fall for devious foreign propagsnda, just like a lot of their stupid forefathers joined the German-American Bund prior to WW2. And who could have known that GAB band would want to drop a bomb on us?
September 5, 20241 yr Popular Post 9 minutes ago, F250 said: Wired has an article about Tenet Media. https://www.wired.com/story/right-wing-influencer-network-tenet-media-allegedly-spread-russian-disinformation/ $400,000 a month for 16 videos? Who would sell out for that kind of easy money?
September 5, 20241 yr Author Popular Post 40 minutes ago, Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand said: Authoritarians never hire the best. “Idiot”’ is the senior partner in the “useful idiot” word pair but it’s important not to compartmentalize or downplay this stuff. The Tenet stable is for sure a lineup of morons, but they are still morons with sizable audiences and the things they say resonate, repeat, and are responded to. Russia understands it cannot dominate the information battlefield but it can conduct shaping operations. And that’s what this is. These activities mean that we spend time as Americans having debates that Moscow wants us to have, not our own.
September 5, 20241 yr “Idiot”’ is the senior partner in the “useful idiot” word pair but it’s important not to compartmentalize or downplay this stuff. The Tenet stable is for sure a lineup of morons, but they are still morons with sizable audiences and the things they say resonate, repeat, and are responded to. Russia understands it cannot dominate the information battlefield but it can conduct shaping operations. And that’s what this is. These activities mean that we spend time as Americans having debates that Moscow wants us to have, not our own. And the Trumpers will never, ever stop or admit they’ve been played.They’ve been turned. Totally, and completely. Russian manipulation of the dumbest and the greediest among us has helped create a fifth column that will never go away.What it comes down to is the fact that we need to be waging real war against Russia. Ukraine gives us more than a little opportunity, but we are way underutilizing it. Ukraine should have B-1s and Tomahawks in their arsenal. And we should be killing hostile Russian assets wherever we find them. Not sanctioning them, or arresting them, but killing them.
September 5, 20241 yr Popular Post So I'm supposed to believe that the only person to not know that Tim Pool was on Putin's payroll was... Tim Pool?
September 5, 20241 yr If y'all remember Zavala, he seemed to be a TP fan (as was Chrispy apparently).
September 5, 20241 yr The indictment seems to leave no doubt the founders of Tenet knew it was Russian money (they also have a digital record of one of the founders messaging one of the financiers about money they're owed and checking "time in Moscow" on their computer while waiting for a response) and there are plenty of clues the rest of the bunch did, too. There's also an interesting split on one side of the spectrum where now some of 'em are screaming, "We were duped by Russia!" and others have been gaslighting for years that the Russia accusations are fake.
September 5, 20241 yr 4 minutes ago, Chopper said: There's also an interesting split on one side of the spectrum where now some of 'em are screaming, "We were duped by Russia!" and others have been gaslighting for years that the Russia accusations are fake. Well, when you are facing this what would you say?
September 5, 20241 yr I’m not reading an indictment so dumb question amnesty: were people indicted or “the company?”
September 5, 20241 yr 49 minutes ago, Sawbonz said: I’m not reading an indictment so dumb question amnesty: were people indicted or “the company?” So far just the 2 Russians. correction: nm just the 2 russians so far Edited September 5, 20241 yr by Chopper
September 5, 20241 yr 2 hours ago, ultimaton said: So I'm supposed to believe that the only person to not know that Tim Pool was on Putin's payroll was... Tim Pool? Yeah, if you asked me to name five Americans on Putin’s payroll, Pool would be in there.
September 5, 20241 yr We have like 1 million sanctions against Russia, so how the fuck could an American citizen getting money from Russia not be a crime?
September 5, 20241 yr The founders of Tenet have some interesting connections. Edited September 5, 20241 yr by Chopper sp
September 5, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, F250 said: Well, when you are facing this what would you say? Right but when Trump screams election interference when he hopefully loses, some of the loudest voices on his side will have said they were duped into providing pro-Russian propaganda.
September 5, 20241 yr 4 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said: And because of course there is a Tweet from Elon: Well, in all fairness to the Pool guy, his formal educated ended when he was 14.
September 5, 20241 yr Author One of the commentators (Rubin or Johnson) got a little suspicious about their benefactor so the Russians made this pdf and sent it around. Immaculate tradecraft.
September 5, 20241 yr What? You mean anti-American rhetoric that is a clear attempt to damage our institutions and erode our rule of law came from Russia? And that people were paid money from Russian handlers to promote these subversive ideas? Sounds like treason to me. Edited September 5, 20241 yr by Pam Cummings
September 5, 20241 yr Anyone taking bets that this was the only Russian to right wing revenue stream?
September 5, 20241 yr 8 hours ago, Sawbonz said: Fuck Merrick Garland There's a good bit of informed speculation that Chen and Donovan are cooperating with the government and may themselves be subject to sealed indictment, although that's not a prerequisite to cooperation. Indicting companies is pretty meh.
September 5, 20241 yr IDK man, can we can an ACKSHUALLY informed opinion on russian disinformation? Like GRUhorn or pronghorn?
September 5, 20241 yr 14 hours ago, Brisketexan said: Got it. And I love Tim Pool's self-defense: "Russia didn't tell me what to post! Instead, they like the fact that my stuff was SO pro-Russia and SO divisive to Americans that they paid me to KEEP posting it!" Yeah....that's not the stirring defense you think it is, Tim. You were already committing so much fucking treason that they just paid you to keep doing what you were already doing isn't any real moral high ground. From a legal standpoint, yeah, it actually may be a huge difference. Being a jackass spouting Russian bullshit entirely of your own accord isn’t treason, afaik. But if you’re being paid to do it, and not registered as a foreign agent (or whatever the correct term) is an entirely different thing. Not that I believe he was entirely unwitting or duped as some of the articles seem to imply.
September 5, 20241 yr 58 minutes ago, SquishMitten said: From a legal standpoint, yeah, it actually may be a huge difference. Being a jackass spouting Russian bullshit entirely of your own accord isn’t treason, afaik. But if you’re being paid to do it, and not registered as a foreign agent (or whatever the correct term) is an entirely different thing. Not that I believe he was entirely unwitting or duped as some of the articles seem to imply. pretty much this
September 5, 20241 yr Popular Post Remember when the 7 GOP congressmen visited the Kremlin over 4th of July. It's funny that idiots who wrap themselves in the flag are the traitors amongst us. I'm too lazy to post it but there's a video from the 70s from a former Russia spy detailing how they are going to feed misinformation and deceit in the US. The plan is in full affect. Russia has bought so many idiots in power to influence the dumbest of the dumb into believing all kinds of shit under the veil of freedom and fake religious Christian persecution, 70M people in 2020 to be exact. If you want to know who has been bought, just listen to the traitors painting Ukraine as the bad guy and wanting us to stop backing Ukraine. Edited September 5, 20241 yr by crash_davis
September 5, 20241 yr 59 minutes ago, SquishMitten said: From a legal standpoint, yeah, it actually may be a huge difference. Being a jackass spouting Russian bullshit entirely of your own accord isn’t treason, afaik. But if you’re being paid to do it, and not registered as a foreign agent (or whatever the correct term) is an entirely different thing. Not that I believe he was entirely unwitting or duped as some of the articles seem to imply. Bro, do you even freedom of speech? Assholes are using that as an excuse to spout all kinds of utter bullshit and lies.
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