This is one of the most important articles you'll read about Russia's cyber attacks on democracy.
Especially since Republicans have been blaming the Intelligence Community for trying to stop them. businessinsider.com
Especially since Republicans have been blaming the Intelligence Community for trying to stop them. businessinsider.com
First, a shout out to all those who ran interference for Russian, Israeli, Iranian, Chinese, and other hostile intelligence services, trying to downplay attacks on America that we now KNOW were run by enemy militaries.
These hot takes didn't hold up.
These hot takes didn't hold up.
When considering "Putin's gig squad goons," recall how the threat was framed as just Russia.
Now, this story is about Russia's military intelligence apparatus attacking us, but check out all the nationalities: Mexican, Venezuelan, Polish.
True globalization, if you will.
Now, this story is about Russia's military intelligence apparatus attacking us, but check out all the nationalities: Mexican, Venezuelan, Polish.
True globalization, if you will.
Intelligence services love to disguise their nationality and to hire assets who know as little as possible.
So you get Mexicans working for Russian intel, Canadian journalists working for Netanyahu, California programmers serving China's MSS - without knowing it.
So you get Mexicans working for Russian intel, Canadian journalists working for Netanyahu, California programmers serving China's MSS - without knowing it.
This is the *very* dark side of the digital "gig economy" - and one that I think is intentional.
Economically stress everyone out, and then encourage them to take whatever gig through a digital platform.
Soon, you have disposable intel operatives.
Economically stress everyone out, and then encourage them to take whatever gig through a digital platform.
Soon, you have disposable intel operatives.
Further to the "gig economy" - this is why so many of these Silicon Valley companies have intentionally shoddy security.
The countries that capitalized them depend on human trafficking, money laundering, and other enterprise criminal activities to fund their attacks on us.
The countries that capitalized them depend on human trafficking, money laundering, and other enterprise criminal activities to fund their attacks on us.
For those who characterize these operations as "just trolling" or "free speech," they should be reminded that these operations are run directly by intelligence services and the states behind them - including criminal paramilitary groups that commit war crimes.
Again, the guys running these Internet operations are taking orders straight from the FSB - which in turn reports to Putin.
So, no, these are not just incompetent kids doing it for the lulz.
So, no, these are not just incompetent kids doing it for the lulz.
It's pretty embarrassing for guys like @mtaibbi and @Eric_Schmitt who tried to attack the U.S. Intelligence Community for their initiatives to shut down foreign militaries under the guise of "free speech."
Pretty obvious now what they were up to.
Pretty obvious now what they were up to.
A whole bunch of foreign-backed propagandists in the U.S. threw a fit about FBI and DHS trying to shut down foreign military propaganda.
Seems like our democracies should be about Americans talking to Americans, but apparently they don't agree.
Seems like our democracies should be about Americans talking to Americans, but apparently they don't agree.
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