News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by readhn on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @10:08AM (#15449862)
"..although the videos did not gain significant traction .. only garnered “hundreds” of views prior to the channel being closed (vs the pair’s Facebook page having ~48,000 fans before it was closed, and videos uploaded there racking up “thousands” of views)."

really hundreds of likes and thousands of views are going to have any impact on the election? Come on! Show us the money, i want to see proof of some real money (millions of dollars channeled in) before i buy this whole "Russia backed" story. Not some pocket change lunch money and a couple of guys (are they even real?).

They are basically saying i can sell an average home and use that money to influence the results of the American elections. Complete BS.

Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by lbenes on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @11:57AM (#15450747)
> thousands of views are going to have any impact on the election?

We're not talking about Prime Time TV grabs, this is microtargeting, death by a thousand cuts. This one just one of dozens of campaigns that we are just now learning about. Here are some more examples:

* Russian-funded Facebook ads backed Stein, Sanders[1]

* Shuttered Facebook group that organized anti-Clinton, anti-immigrant rallies across Texas was linked to Russia[2]

* Russians Impersonated Real American Muslims to Stir Chaos on Facebook and Instagram[3]

Just over a month ago FB was denying any Russian influence. And now we know of 4 different demographics, with 4 different campaigns. These "thousands of views" that you pooh-pooh start to add up and you can see how the cumulative influence could have a real effect.

[1] http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/26/facebook-russia-tru...

[2] http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-group-russia-texas-a...

[3] https://www.thedailybeast.com/exclusive-russians-impersonate...

Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by marindez on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @01:02PM (#15451261)
>this is microtargeting, death by a thousand cuts

Nah this isn't. This is a failed propaganda campaign.

Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by aluhut on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @10:48AM (#15450201)
I'm pretty sure that it never is one thing. However if you have a US president who is knee deep in Russia and several accounts here and there, RT, subreddits, twitter bots who also support Russian policies, doesn't that make you think a bit?

You are taking one (obviously failed) campaign and act like it's all while ignoring the whole picture that is evolving around this presidency. This looks...weird.

Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by readhn on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @11:12AM (#15450398)
i would like to see them expose a real money channel if there is one. Why cant they do that? Real names, real money and banks involved. Not 2 ghosts with a failed youtube channel.

....you know what nobody cares though. Average intelligence of an American citizen is pretty low so they will buy any story they are fed.

Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by jmcqk6 on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @11:50AM (#15450697)
>Not 2 ghosts with a failed youtube channel.

If you look at this in isolation, it isn't much. You need to place it in the larger context. We have a lot of facts available to us at this time, and there are more facts being uncovered daily.

Your comments here do not seem inline with someone who is keeping close track of facts.

Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by sschueller on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @10:11AM (#15449884)
If 100k is all it took to win an election then facebook must be the best advertising that money can buy. Why even run TV ads? :)
Re:Google shuts YouTube channel implicated in Kremlin politi... by aluhut on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @10:49AM (#15450209)
To be sure the TV stations will be thankful for your money and to reach all the old people?