1EarthUnited who is a member of my blogging family has recently been taking on the personality of a Russian troll.
History:
Until relatively recently, she would comment on my posts with a point of view of a conservative with conspiracy theory leanings. This was okay with me as she was representing a point of view of peoples who I know and am fond of, except we rarely go down that route of discussing politics when we get together. She has consistently exhibited a strong antipathy towards the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to where she would refer to old conspiracy theories which have been debunked numerous times by credible fact-checking sites. Again, for me this was nothing new. She would use references that are rated high in fake content like WND, Horn news. (FOX TV, Infowars, Breitbart) are examples of right wing media outlets that are also rated high in “fake news”content. She has been informed by me that there are conservative outlets out there that rate high in accurate fact content like my favorite, the Weekly Standard.
That she was prone to the right wing conspiracy theories didn’t faze me, as I have a family member who is vulnerable to being drawn to conspiracy theories.
She has shared with me, the fact that she is an avid fan of the writings and thinking of Lady Rada. I am convinced that Lady Rada is a Russian troll and that my blogging family member 1EarthUnited has been exhibiting the signs of a Russian troll under the influence of this Lady Rada.
This is a time for an intervention. I am asking all those in my blogging family to call out 1EarthUnited whenever she starts to sound like a Russian troll.
It is important for the average American voter to be informed as to how Russian Trolls actually do operate and how to discern their disinformation/ propaganda work when you see it. As the midterm November 2018 election season closes in on us, these folks will be ratcheting up their campaign to somehow suppress the vote/ to keep peoples from being motivated to cast their ballots.
An education campaign as to this 2018 Russian Troll Voter Suppression campaign is the antidote to keep them from succeeding this November like they did in 2016.
Here are some articles that address this subject, “Russian trolling“…
On March 14, 2018, Simon Shuster and Sandra Ifraimova of Time Magazine penned the following report, “A Former Russian Troll Explains How To Spread Fake News”
Excerpts:
“In the fall of 2014, soon after he moved to St. Petersburg from his hometown in Siberia, Vitaly Bespalov, an aspiring journalist, came across a series of online job listings for a “content manager.” They looked too good to be true. The pay was 45,000 rubles per month – around $700 at the time – well above the starting salary in his field. “There were no requirements,” he recalls. “No job descriptions.” And no mention of the informal title that came with the position: Internet troll.”
“After a short interview with a company manager, Bespalov began clocking in every morning at 55 Savushkina Street in St. Petersburg, the home of Russia’s now-infamous troll factory, otherwise known as the Internet Research Agency.”
“The daily grind was simple: create fake accounts on social media and use them to post comments online as the bosses instructed. The broader effort of the factory, however, was a state-of-the-art propaganda campaign. And over the next few years, it set out to interfere in the course of a U.S. presidential election, according to an indictment handed down on Friday by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.”
“Bespalov says he stopped working at the factory by January 2015 and was not involved in that campaign. To his relief, he was also not among the thirteen Russians charged by the Special Counsel. But on a recent afternoon, he agreed to show TIME how the trolls at the factory operated. Its bosses imposed a few strict rules. First, never be late and never leave early. Second, never criticize President Vladimir Putin online, at least not while on the clock. “We were not even allowed to say anything funny about Putin,” Bespalov says. “We would either talk positively about him or not at all.”
“Apart from a few ideological employees who referred to themselves as “Putin’s trolls,” the staff at the factory was mostly indifferent to politics and motivated only by money, says Bespalov. They were paid to meet specific quotas for online comments, blogs and other posts on social media. They were given strict instructions on what issues to write about and how to spin the news of the day.”
“Their most frequent target at the end of 2014 was President Barack Obama, whom they depicted as a loser or a fool in comparison to Russia’s President, says Bespalov; German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meanwhile cast as a fascist; Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was depicted as a pig.”
“As the weeks dragged on, it was the mindlessness and venom of these posts that led Bespalov to quit not long after he started. His boss at the factory, a woman named Anna, was disappointed to hear it. “‘This is life,’” he remembers her telling him as she pointed out the window. “We are Pro-Kremlin over here and they are Pro-American over there.’”
On May 11, 2018, Arpita Aneja and Sandra Ifraimova of Time Magazine penned the following report, “How To Spot A Russian Troll”
Excerpts:
“How can American citizens and civic-minded individuals recognize trolls? What should be done to prevent attacks on US democracy? In this video, TIME spoke to political activists who have been duped by trolls, cyber warfare experts and Russian trolls themselves to gain insight into how the U.S. election season was infiltrated.”
“David Patrikarakos, author of War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century, says that recognizing trolls is becoming increasingly difficult, as propaganda efforts become more sophisticated.”
“But he also offers a few important signs for spotting a troll social media account:”
“They have very few followers on social media accounts. They would tweet pro-Kremlin stuff in very poor English. They tend to be female, they tend to be stridently pro Trump and very stridently pro Kremlin. They tend to tweet certain types of articles repeatedly, they tend to tweet at prominent journalists.”
Link to report to view video: How to Spot a Russian Troll | Time
See: #TrollTracker: How To Spot Russian Trolls – DFRLab – Medium
As per a July 9, 2018 Salon article by Bob Cesca, “Little more than a year ago, I posted and pinned the following predictive tweet: “Get ready. A year from right now we’ll be up to our asses in Russian fake news, malware, hacks, mayhem aimed at the midterms. Pinning this.” Granted, it wasn’t a difficult forecast knowing what we knew at the time.”
“Today, in addition to prior intelligence community assessments indicating that Russia attacked the presidential election with the intention of helping Donald Trump win, the Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee has released its own verification of the intelligence community’s conclusions: “The Committee believes the conclusions of the [intelligence community assessment] are sound, and notes that collection and analysis subsequent to the ICA’s publication continue to reinforce its assessments.”
“All told, those of us who are keeping track of the revelations from both Robert Mueller’s office and the Intelligence Committee know what’s what. And that includes Vladimir Putin’s ongoing “active measures” meant to disrupt American democracy.”
“So far in the 2018 cycle, we haven’t seen any evidence of hacker attacks similar to what transpired in early 2016 and throughout that year, with malicious Russian hackers linked to that nation’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, infiltrating Democratic Party accounts then releasing the stolen emails through WikiLeaks. Anyone who’s spent time in the harrowing weeds of political Twitter recently, however, has surely witnessed the prevalence of trolls and bots swarming popular liberals and “blue checks” while simultaneously spreading propaganda designed to influence the outcome of the election.”
Gronda Morin 
Gronda,
Thank you for this informative post. The other night, I started drafting a post about Russian operatives and their efforts to infiltrate Word Press blogs. These are things that happen that, those other than bloggers subjected to it, do not see or know. This year, they began showing a desperation and because they have followed a pattern, I have a better handle on their agenda. Maybe I’ll finish the draft tonight and publish in the morning.
Thanks again.
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Dear Xena,
I have problems reblogging but I give you permission to reblog for me, otherwise I will copy/ paste while making sure that you get full credit and I’ll link the article to your blog.
It is important to get the word out to the public about Russia’s propaganda/ disinformation machine which will be set up to suppress the vote.
This is where “freedom of the Press” and “free speech” parts of our US democracy come into play. We can warn the public to expect Russia to ratchet it up to mess again in our 2018 elections. But we can educate them on how to identify and ignore any such attempts and MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUT TO VOTE, NO MATTER WHAT THEY READ OR HEAR.
Hugs, Gronda
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Gronda,
For sure to everything you said. Americans have worked too hard to make sure that citizens have the right to vote.
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Hi Gronda, honored to be featured on your blog, and outed, lol! Darn, I didn’t even get to collect my rubles. 🙂
Sorry for expressing my views that are contrary to yours, i will cease and desist from now on sharing Libertarian POVs. I admit I may be critical of the Democratic Party b/c I feel they could do so much better! As for the Repubs, sadly they’re kind of a lost cause, with Trump at the helm it’s practically a foregone conclusion that either impeachment (my hope), or voting him out in 2020 will be the only way to change direction.
You know my position on this, it hasn’t changed since 2016. I will vote Democrat IF they allow Bernie Sanders to run on the ticket unimpeded, or I will vote independent. I have made no secret of my disappointment with either candidate in 2016 b/c I sincerely felt they both were unqualified for public service. It seems I am not alone in my assessment since voter turnout has been the lowest point when Bush Sr. ran for President.
While on this topic, keep in mind not to go overboard with paranoia, b/c that also skews from reality. Remember McCarthyism in the 50’s:
a vociferous campaign against alleged communists in the US government and other institutions carried out under Senator Joseph McCarthy in the period 1950–54. Many of the accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs, although most did not in fact belong to the Communist Party.
a campaign or practice that endorses the use of unfair allegations and investigations.
During the McCarthy era, hundreds of Americans were accused of being communists or communist sympathizers and became the subject of aggressive investigations and questioning before government or private industry panels, committees and agencies. The primary targets of such suspicions were government employees, those in the entertainment industry, educators and labor union activists. [Ironically Democrats] Suspicions were often given credence despite inconclusive or questionable evidence, and the level of threat posed by a person’s real or supposed leftist associations or beliefs was sometimes exaggerated. Many people suffered loss of employment or destruction of their careers; some even suffered imprisonment. Most of these punishments came about through trial verdicts later overturned,[3] laws that were later declared unconstitutional,[4] dismissals for reasons later declared illegal[5] or actionable,[6] or extra-legal procedures that would come into general disrepute.
The most notable examples of McCarthyism include the investigations made by Senator McCarthy himself; and the hearings conducted by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism
It’s best to maintain a balanced approach, not to dismiss or ignore Russian trolling, but not to fall into delusion thinking anyone who does not agree with your thinking is the enemy troll. I believe that is what conservatives are feeling now when encountering passionate liberals in public, the workplace or within our higher learning institutions. I don’t claim to be either, just a witness with my own opinions, which I will withhold at your request. I do respect your blog rules and will comply of course.
In any case, thanks for clarifying what a Russian Troll looks like, I will take care not to be one. Much love, peace and understanding everyone. ❤
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Dear 1EarthUnited,
Here’s what bothers me. A Bernie supporter would never be relying on far right wing references like FOX news, WND, Horn news as they are not rated as being high in fact content and they represent a point of view that they wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot poll..
A true conservative wanting to present a point of view that has reputation for being fact based would be using sources like the Federalist, the Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard among others. My favorite conservative writers and thinkers are the now deceased Charles Krauthammer, Max Boot, Bill Kristol, Steve Schmidt, William Safire, Peggy Noonan and others.
The point of view that you have arguing as of late is that of a republican supporter who voted for President Trump. I know this because I personally know folks like this and I know what they sound like. The folks who would be supportive of this thinking and would be wanting to amplify the republican talking points would be Russian trolls.
Please do not discount what I have been saying on the basis that I am not willing to consider viewpoints that differ from mine.
I would not have said what I said without a lot of consideration and review. Should I be wrong, I would be so saddened that I have treated someone unfairly.
If I weren’t giving you the benefit of the doubt that perhaps you have been unduly influenced by Lady Rada, I would have already blocked you from being able to comment on my blog in the future.
Let me be real clear, your writing has been suspect. I get no pleasure from saying this but I my gut is screaming that your story line and claims don’t add up. I am willing to blame this on Lady Rada. Make no mistake, she is a Russian troll.
Hugs, Gronda
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Hi Gronda, interesting you should bring up Bernie. If i may, source from Quora –
How libertarian is Bernie Sanders? Should he be the top choice for libertarians seeing as Rand Paul dropped out?
https://www.quora.com/How-libertarian-is-Bernie-Sanders-Should-he-be-the-top-choice-for-libertarians-seeing-as-Rand-Paul-dropped-out
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Dear 1EarthUnited,
That Quora report had to be written by a Libertarian. It sure wasn’t penned by a true Bernie supporter.
Hugs, Gronda
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Interesting article. It might be possible that your blogging family member is not a Russian troll, just a heavily indoctrinated Conservative Trumper.
I have one such in my social network on Facebook, in his late 70’s, and fits the profile except for the broken English. But he is also the father of a friend of mine, and I know him personally, even stayed at his home for a few months a few years ago. He’s American, just really deep into the Conservative ideology.
This does not rule out the possibility of Russian trolls operating in blogging communities though. I remember wondering at the nature of political trolls operating in LiveJournal back in 2003-2004, and I still wonder who was behind them because they really favored Bush Jr. and if you were a Kerry supporter of any influence, you were pretty much up to your eyeballs in trolls.
Luckily I had relatively small friends only blog at the time so didn’t have to deal with it much but it was unnerving to see how it looked so organized and orchestrated. They’d come in and argue more influential bloggers down, force them into moderating their comments, turn other readers against them by screaming “censorship”, and if they could befriend and change some minds (happened to at least one progressive friend who went full on Conservative during this period), they would.
Same thing is going on over in Facebook, but I doubt it is all Russians. I’ve a good friend who never would have hung out with racists before, but now he has one being all buddy-buddy with him, insulting his Liberal friends and basically putting my friend in the middle. Luckily the Liberals have all known my friend for a few decades and have deep ties, the friend is not going to give up those old connections for one idiot.
It’s insidious though, the way this whole Right Wing/Trump/Russia ideology is spreading.
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Dear Cherilyn,
Welcome!
You are so right on numerous points. I do know folks who are supporters of President Trump. Those who have been but are former military are looking at him differently after the Helsinki summit. But they are not the true “heavily indoctrinated Conservative Trumper.”
There have been clues in the writing by 1EarthUnited which have raised my antenna. For example her claim to be a Bernie supporter belies her usage of right wing thinking, conspiracy theories, right wing media sources. That kind of behavior mimics that of the heavily indoctrinated Conservative Trumper.”This is okay with me because like you said, I know and am fond of peoples like this.
1EarthUnited has always been respectful, has not belittled others for different points of view. This is a voice that I welcome on my blog. But something is askew to were I felt a need to bring my concerns out into the open.
Frankly, I would welcome a Russian blogger to comment on my post. But I want that person to represent their true selves. Enough said. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hugs, Gronda
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Ah, I see what you mean. No, Bernie Supporters tend more toward Daily Kos, etc.
It could be you are right, but if so, would she even be allowed to represent her true self and beliefs if she is a paid influencer? It seems like there should be some Russian bloggers (non-paid influencers) here in WordPress. I get hits to my own blog from all over Europe and Asia, but oddly none from Russia that I am aware of anyway,
And thanks, I’ll be back, I found you yesterday lol.
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Dear Cherilyn,
You know how it is? After awhile one becomes fond of the peoples who regularly comment on your blog and you get a general impression.
Its the writing lately that has raised my antenna.
But you are right. If she was a Russian troll, she would be forced to write certain required talking points.
Hugs, Gronda
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Breaking News! Altho not on your approved reference list, I’ll take a chance b/c this is important!
We have the first documented case of Russian hacking in the 2018 election!
Sen. Claire McCaskill, one of the 2018 midterms’ most vulnerable Democrats, appears to have been a Russian target, per reporting from the Daily Beast.
Russia is already trying to hack the 2018 midterm elections, going after Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection this year.
That’s the key takeaway from a piece published Thursday afternoon by the Daily Beast. Reporters Andrew Desiderio and Kevin Poulsen used a combination of court records and internet sleuthing to identify that malicious emails to a McCaskill aide were sent from a server that likely belongs to Fancy Bear, the same Russian intelligence group that did the 2016 hacks. The attack, launched in the second half of last year, seems to have failed.
The evidence in the Daily Beast piece that this attack was launched by Russians is reasonably compelling. If it’s correct, then this is the first publicly identified case of Russian interference in a specific 2018 election campaign.
What’s more, the report comes two days after President Trump said Russians would likely be “pushing very hard for the Democrats” in 2018. Not only does this appear to be false — according to the Daily Beast, Russia is already working to help Republicans — but in fact, they’re getting involved in a smartly targeted race, one tight enough that it could end up mattering to the outcome.
You’d only want to do that if you wanted Republicans to maintain control of the Senate.
What the Daily Beast found — and why it matters….. Read More:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/7/26/17619818/russia-claire-mccaskill-2018-midterm-hack
Apologies in advance if you take offense at the source. The Daily Beast is a right-wing conspiracy publication, but they do try to get to the truth. Please delete this comment if I’m out of line. *Peace* ❤
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Dear 1EarthUnited,
Thanks a million for this reference. I have already written a post on this subject.
Thanks for the caveat but no worries. Their story has been confirmed by other media outlets. The source that I use on occasion to verify the bias of a source is: Media Bias/Fact Check. But it indicates that the Daily Beast is a publication that leans left.
As per Media Bias/ Fact Check:
LEFT BIAS
These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward liberal causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports and omit reporting of information that may damage liberal causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources. (Daily Beast is on the list)
Notes: The Daily Beast is an American news reporting and opinion website focusing on politics and pop culture. The Daily Beast has been accused of biased reporting favoring Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. The Daily Beast tends to sensationalize headlines, but they do typically source the info in their reports. (5/13/2016) Updated (2/24/2017)
Factual Reporting: HIGH
Hugs, Gronda
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Ooops, my mistake. I mixed up this publication with the Daily Sheeple. It’s hard to keep up what’s real or fake these days, I’ll try to discern as best I can. Here’s a conundrum, what if the fact checking services are biased as well? I hear many of them are run by the government to shape public opinion and control the official narrative.
I respect the direction you are taking with your blog, ultimately to discern the truth in order to create the reality you wish to experience. I totally understand that, I admit I’m still trying to feel my way around this crazy polarized political maze, so easy to get lost in. While I don’t agree with everything you post, I feel your honesty and sincerity in relaying your truth. As such, I do honor and respect you very much as a socially conscious blogger.
As always, thanks for all you do! ❤
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Dear 1EarthUnited,
That makes a bit more sense. This is how the Daily Sheeple is rated by mediabiasfactcheck.com:
CONSPIRACY-PSEUDOSCIENCE
Sources in the Conspiracy-Pseudoscience category may publish unverifiable information that is not always supported by evidence. These sources may be untrustworthy for credible/verifiable information, therefore fact checking and further investigation is recommended on a per article basis when obtaining information from these sources. See all Conspiracy-Pseudoscience sources.
Factual Reporting: LOW
Notes: The Daily Sheeple is conspiracy driven and sometimes anti-science. There is very little proven factual content on this website. (7/21/2016)
Hugs, Gronda
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This is excellent information Gronda! Thank you. I am confused by one thing, though. 1EarthUnited is also a reader of mine, and while she doesn’t comment often, when she does, she has always been very anti-Trump, and her comments have always been in line with my own ideologies. I went back and checked some of her prior comments to make sure I didn’t have her mixed up with another reader, and while I don’t see any comments more recent than January, I was right — here is the last comment she left:
“No worries, Trump will be impeached soon enough when SC Mueller gathers all the necessary proof to seek indictment. President Pence doesn’t sound any better…. ” So, I’m confused … is she perhaps two people, or … ???
Anyway, thanks for this very informative post and I plan to re-blog tomorrow!
Hugs!!!
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Jill,
The agenda is layered with a propaganda narrative to sway people into being anti-government.
Based on information I read that addressed the most recent indictments, the agenda is not to talk in support of Trump, but comment to infer that voting is a waste of time because neither major party can be trusted. They don’t support Republicans nor Democrats.
Another layer is to interject the accusations that the government has treated Blacks poorly, and assassinated Black Civil Rights leaders. (That’s a bootstrap off Trump’s, “What have you got to lose.) They will also pump up Trump’s talking point that unemployment is now lower among Blacks. It a default that fails to address that not being on the unemployment list does not necessarily mean being employed or gainfully employed.
Some have taken the role of being anti-socialist, anti-big government. That is intended to leave an impression regarding issues such as universal healthcare. The talking point is in disagreement with Bernie Sander’s position on Medicare for all, but they will say that they support Bernie Sanders.
After the Helsinski talks, Putin said something to the effect that the hacked emails revealed that the DNC was working against Sanders in the primaries. They are currently on Twitter with narratives that the DNC is cruel to Sanders. Maybe they would like for him to run as an Independent to reduce the number of votes for the whomever is going to run on the Democratic ticket in the next presidential election.
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Xena … thank you for the additional info. It seems the intent is to create mass confusion so that nobody has a clue what is true vs false, so they give up and stay home on November 6th. I look forward to reading your post later today! Thanks again!
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Yes Jill, confusion, division, discouragement.
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Dear Jill,
I would have said the same as you have, until very recently.
Just be aware of the possibility. I would not have hurt her feelings without a lot of thought. This is something that had been weighing on me as I’m rather fond of 1EarthUnited.
If you are aware of a possible issue, you can take steps to sit on it, if you are on alert.
Most importantly, we need to educate the public that no matter what they see or hear, they are to get their butts off the couch to get out there to vote.
Hugs, Gronda
PS. Xena will be writing a post regarding Russian trolls and WordPress.
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Thank you dear Gronda. Oh I’m fine with ppl calling me out, it keeps me in check and helps me re-evaluate my position. I know deep down, only ppl who really care would take the time to do that, and I know you’re doing it from the heart. So don’t worry, I wasn’t hurt emotionally b/c i know your intentions were good. I also appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to explain the problem and how to correct it. I’m super fond of you as well and consider you a wise elder, a mentor.
Also I’m totally with you, everyone should get out there and rock the vote. That is democracy at work… for the ppl by the ppl. But I take my right to vote VERY seriously and will not vote for just anyone who doesn’t deserve it. I will make up my own mind and will not be pressured or swayed. Being aware, staying alert is the foundation of an awaken mind. I strive to grow and expand my consciousness with everyone here in our WP community!
Love and blessings all. ❤
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Dear 1EarthUnited,
This sounds good to me.
Hugs, Gronda
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1EarthUnited,
I’m not picking on you, but it’s statements like the following that questions your reason for saying them;
It depends on what one wants their mind awaken to.
Having an “awaken mind” is not the same as being informed, neither is it the same as having a “sound mind”.
There’s a saying that experience is the best teacher.
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@ Xena,
Depends on how we define our words and concepts. For me, an awaken mind means one that is open to possibilities, not being stubbornly dogmatic and holding on to preconceived ideas.
That doesn’t necessitate me to be right or wrong (i’m not trying to defend my position mindlessly out of pride, ego, anger etc.) For instance, I freely admit to being wrong if Gronda points out my trollish behavior. I may not have been fully aware of the consequences of my thoughts and actions; by toying around with right wing libertarian ideas, clearly i did not perceive the full picture, just one aspect from the radical right. Some may even agree with me, but since I value Gronda’s POV, I have no right to impose my POV on her blog. Respecting her rights is actually a form of self-respect. This builds trust and honesty between us, which must be earned every moment. To be aware of that moment and respond correctly is what i mean by keeping an awaken mind.
Because I am aware of my mistake, I am free to course correct and allow for positive change to happen. This awareness fosters a sense of freedom, soundness and peace of mind. I thereby release all internal and external conflict/ tension, no one becomes my “enemy” through true understanding of the other person’s perspective and intention. The advantage is clear, a fuller picture and broader experience…. which IS a great teacher… but only if I’m willing to be open to life’s lessons.
Without an agenda, I’m open to all positions, through experience and discernment I’ll get to the truth. Hope my explanation clarifies somewhat. Feel free to share your thoughts on the matter. *Peace*
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1EarthUnited,
Re:
No one should have a mind that is so open that what they know to be true, and their experiences, fall out.
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Perhaps truth is relative to one’s experience? Not sure what you mean by “fall out”. Like fall out of reality? Depends on what reality means to you. Do you need faith to deal with reality around you? Perhaps.
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1EarthUnited,
I spoke about knowing what is true and experiences, and your retort is to ask me what reality means to me?
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Ahhh … so it is recent. I do appreciate the heads-up. You are quite right that our primary goal must be to keep our ears and eyes open and get people out to VOTE in November! I will look for Xena’s post shortly — thanks! Hugs!!!
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Thanks Jill. Things today took me away from being online and publishing the post as planned, but I just published it a few minutes ago. Here’s the link for your convenience.
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Got it … you did a great job with that … I learned much and will now have nightmares! Thanks again!
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Oh Jill! Please don’t have nightmares. 🙂
One thing for sure is that once you report an issue to Word Press, they get on it right away. As far as those who participate on your blog, don’t be afraid or paranoid.
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Oh no worries … I am not afraid for me personally, but just the idea that the interference, the intrusion is so wide-spread … virtually no social media is safe from it. And we have a president that doesn’t take the threat seriously … correction … he knows of it but also knows it is to his advantage to allow it to continue. Sigh. Hugs!!!
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Jill,
Oh yes! Those type of nightmares. I completely understand. When early voting opens, some friends have planned a girl’s day out where all of us can vote, then visit a buffet and proudly display our “I Voted” tags. It just might encourage others to do the same.
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What a wonderful idea!!! I may try to organize something like that too! Thanks!
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Jill,
It’s an excellent way to get together especially when everyone plans to vote anyway. It helped that the majority of use are retired, and those still working were able to take paid time off. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
An education in how Russian trolls operate.
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Dear Suzanne,
Thanks for helping to get the word out that sitting home in November and not voting, is not an option.
Thanks a million times over for all of your support and for this reblog.
Hugs, Gronda
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You’re more than welcome, Gronda. I read that the Puerto Ricans in Florida who moved there after the storm are not registering as they should be. Democrats are naturally finding that disappointing. —- Suzanne
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Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
There is a lot of talk these days about the Russian interference in our last (2016) election and that the intelligence community has already seen credible evidence that the Russians are also planning to inject their presence into our mid-terms in November. If you aren’t worried, you should be. But how, exactly, do the Russians influence the vote? That has been somewhat hazy to many, but friend Gronda has some clarification for us. Please take a few minutes to read this post and check out the short videos she includes. You won’t regret it! Thank you, Gronda, for all your hard work on this and for letting me share it!
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Dear Jill,
I am concerned that Russians plan a repeat performance of what they did in 2016, again in the Nov. 2018 elections.
Just like you have figured out, their focus will be on propaganda/ disinformation dissemination to where peoples become so befuddled, discouraged and weary to where they don’t exercise their right to vote.
By educating peoples on Russia’s tactics and strategies, we inoculate Americans against this gas-lighting.
And we tell folks that no matter how they feel, to get out to vote. This is the election of a lifetime.
Thanks a million times over for all of your support and for this reblog.
Hugs, Gronda
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I share your concerns, and fear that the Russians will do even more damage this time around. For one thing, they now have an ally in the Oval Office. For another, this election could either hand the realm to Trump for another 2 years, long enough to do Putin’s bidding, or tie his hands, which they definitely do NOT want. The most important thing right now is getting people out to vote!
Hugs!!!
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Thanks for this very informative post.
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Dear Inspiredbythedivine1,
I appreciate your gracious feedback.
Hugs, Gronda
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terrific (as usual post) and am sharing it with my followers..also on twitter and FB. It needs to be shared over and over again IMO.
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Dear Suze,
Thanks a million for helping to get the word out. It is only logical that the Russian warfare on propaganda/ disinformation targeted for US voters with the intent to suppress the vote, would be picking up steam with just about 3 months left for the Nov. 2018 elections. The Russians didn’t work so hard to get President Trump in office, to not fight to keep him unencumbered which would be the case if the democrats became the majority party in the US Congress.
Thanks a million times over for all of your support and for this reblog.
Hugs, Gronda
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Reblogged this on suziland too or obsolete childhood and commented:
as usual, Gronda has information that is desperately needed prior to the vote in November.
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A very informative and well crafted report Gronda.
Why folk deny this is happening is beyond me. Theses standard Cold War strategies which were employed with great zest by both sides.
To assume this is not going on is ignorant or blindness of a tragic sort. Of course it is taking place, you could take the argument one step further and say if you are part of the Russian majority you would expect your govt to do something like this to keep your nation secure.
Naturally phase two is now in operation where no one really knows just what is taking place in the entire voting system and thus it is being discredited, which may cause some to not vote; in turn suiting the purposes of the strategy.
This is the time when folks might well look to their hearts when deciding how to vote.
Take care USA.
Roger
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Dear Roger,
But here is when the blessing of living in a democracy where “free speech,” “freedom of the press” becomes apparent. Now that we know the Russians will again be up to no good, we can blunt all their efforts by educating the public as to their tactics.
We will be getting the word out for folks to exercise their right to vote and to take a stance against Russia’s
attempts to interfere in US elections again, no matter how they feel. Sitting home on the couch is not an option.
Hugs, Gronda
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True, it is not an option Gronda.
After the mid-terms if anyone complains about anything to do with the running of the country the first question should be ‘Who did you vote for?’
If they say they didn’t, the response should be ‘Well. There you go,’
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Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
MANDATORY READING … get educated!!
It’s heading this way again … in 2018!! Don’t fall for it again!!
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Dear Horty,
This is war. I and you want our country back where truth, science, evidence fact based decisions are back in vogue and where peoples treating each other with decency and respect are the norm but without forcing faith based beliefs on others who don’t share them.
The Russians don’t want their man in the White House encumbered and neutered by the Democrats becoming the majority party in the US Congress, They will act to try to suppress the vote. Their efforts will be stymied if we drive home the concept, that no matter what is going on, it is important to get out to vote. Lives depend on this.
Thanks a million times for all of your support and for this reblog.
Hugs, Gronda
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Boom!! 💥 … agree!! 🙏🏽
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I found that various pro-Bernie pages on FB were heavily infiltrated by what appeared to be Russian trolls or bots commenting during the primaries. Though I’m still quite pro-Bernie, I unfollowed most if not all of those fan pages because even the admins seemed infected by the divisive rhetoric that focused more on anti-Clinton messages and less on pro-progressive issues. I’m seeing fewer comments by “rot bot” types in general on social media so far in 2018 (they’re definitely still around), but then, I’m also quicker to mute, block, and unfollow individuals or groups than I was in 2016.
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Dear Two sides to a story,
Education about the existence of these Russian trolls at work is the best antidote to them being effective. That anti-Clinton messaging is still alive and doing well. I’m sure that included in the Russians’ messaging is the wish to drive a wedge between factions in the Democratic Party, between the more progressive folks and the establishment wing. This helps to depress voter turnout. They may not have noticed that Senator Sanders has been working hard to push for a democratic win.
It is important for the US voters to know that the Russians are still at it and that, no matter what, it is crucial Americans do their duty to exercise their right to vote.
Hugs, Gronda
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