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Russia Reportedly Used Pokemon Go In an Effort To Inflame Racial Tensions (theverge.com) 211

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: Russia's far-ranging campaign to promote dissension in the United States reportedly included an effort to weaponize Pokemon Go. CNN reported that in July 2016, a Tumblr page linked to Russia's now-notorious Internet Research Agency promoted a contest encouraging people sympathetic to the Black Lives Matter movement to play the game near famous sites of police brutality. Players were told to change their characters' names to the victims of those incidents -- an apparent effort to inflame racial tensions. The Tumblr page was linked to Do Not Shoot Us, a multi-platform campaign designed to mimic aspects of Black Lives Matter. (As CNN notes, the name plays on "hands up, don't shoot," one of the movement's slogans.) Do Not Shoot Us included a website, donotshoot.us, along with related pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The Facebook page was one of 470 pages that were removed after the company determined that it was linked to Russian groups attempting to interfere in US politics.
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Russia Reportedly Used Pokemon Go In an Effort To Inflame Racial Tensions

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  • Wasn't the slogan they used "Pokemon go to the polls!"?
    • I would love to have make public the conversation in the Kremlin about Pokemon Go and anything. It sounds like there's been some new staffing at the Kremlin. Given Putin's world orientation, and the average 20-something new-hire at the Kremlin; Putin is in for a major case of "Oh Shit! What Did They Do This Time?"

      For this I would view it on Pay-Per-View, and get my micro wave popcorn ready!
  • by zzyzx ( 15139 ) on Saturday October 14, 2017 @08:09AM (#55367717) Homepage

    It's less trying to promote one side or the other than a case of Let's You and Him Fight where they just try to get everyone so mad at each other than the US has trouble governing. Trolls are less about converting people (although it's great if they can) and more about making the other side think their views are so insane that they can't be reasoned with. It's all an attempt to get us into increasingly frustrated self selected bubbles and it does seem to be working. ...but maybe I'm just bitter because the Russians didn't offer me a Lapras for helping them. I mean if you're going to use Pokemon Go, use it!

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      This isn't trolling, this is state intelligence level psi-ops and stirring up civil unrest in other countries. This is Russia subverting US politics (BLM is a political movement, seeking political change) and causing distrust and unrest among the population.

      Look at how often BLM are labelled terrorists right here. Look at how people post complaints about fake groups like "Antifa Boston", citing fake news articles. It's not even all Russia, a lot of it is just useful idiots who got suckered in and started ge

      • Re: (Score:1, Troll)

        So, Russia wants us to not shoot unarmed black men? Sounds better than our current government, and the past administration. Perhaps the Russians are the "useful idiots," provoking reasonable discussions to make us a little less ass backwards.
        • by epyT-R ( 613989 )

          Yeah because if you don't subscribe to far left wing views, you want to kill unarmed black men...

          wtf?

          • Who's talking far left? There are people who actually do have far-left views, but they are nowhere near the people you are calling far left. From a global perspective, Bernie Sanders is about as centrist as it gets, so in order to be far left, you'd have to be significantly to the left of him.
            • by epyT-R ( 613989 )

              I didn't make the implication. You did.

              I don't really care where people fall on some spectrum. Their positions on individual issues are what's important. How far left a politician in the US compared to other countries is irrelevant. It's basically the underpinning of a no-true-leftist fallacy.

      • by Anonymous Coward

        BLM is a racial supremacist movement disguising itself as 'social justice' with a mix of communism thrown in, the latter thanks to their big brothers in antifa.

        "we have nothing to lose but our chains"... yeah, great.

        Look at how often BLM are labelled terrorists right here.

        If the KKK are considered terrorists, then why not BLM? They both want the same thing for their respective 'identities'. Both claim to be the victims and both want the state to step in and microarbitrate based on race. Both are ILliberal.

        I don't doubt that people on the left also fall for this sort of thing now and again too, by the way. I'm not partisan on this, I'm just against this kind of state level subversion of western societies.

        oh wow, what a twisted pile this is.. You are VERY parti

      • I don't doubt that people on the left also fall for this sort of thing now and again too, by the way. I'm not partisan on this, I'm just against this kind of state level subversion of western societies.

        When I hear someone crying about Russian influence I'm lead to wonder what the same people think of AIPAC and associated organized sophisticated Israeli propaganda campaigns in this country. Do they find them equally outrageous?

        Is the outrage sourced from the concept of subversion/interference or is it based mostly on the content of the message? e.g. I don't like what your doing so I'll use foreign aspect to justify and amplify my displeasure...

        Of course the flip side is I am indifferent to or support w

        • It could be argued that foreign propaganda actually brought down Soviet Union. At least it contributed more than any foreign ads to Trump election. US still do a lot of propaganda in Russia. Could easily target their country of origin too. No actual Russian would ever look into BLM stuff unless he works on a US owned company that would give him such a task.
    • Go Team Yellow!?
  • by Anonymous Coward

    The thing about Pokemon GO is that you have almost no interaction with other players. They didn't add raids until this year, meaning that at the time, literally the only interaction you had with other players was by attacking a gym held by an opposing team or adding a lure to a gym. Nothing else you did effected anything that anyone else was doing. There remains no way to talk to other players in-game. No way to see other players. No way to see if anyone is near you.

    This story makes absolutely no sense. You

  • by Anonymous Coward

    ... Realize that the MSM(ratings), politicians(votes) and external forces(espionage) are at place to cause anger? The common American goes about their day, trying to earn enough to provide for their loved ones. But the left is eating up anything and everything divisive, projecting all kinds of ill will towards anyone who has a differing opinion - SO MUCH SO, that a person who should not be the president of the US, IS the president of the US, because there was no other choice.

    And what has happened since

    • Re: (Score:1, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward

      It's a Good Thing that Russian Shills haven't infected Slashdot...fortunately, nobody here would be fooled by foreign anonymous cowards inflaming partisan invective...

    • It's right wing Democrats who keep fucking the Russian chicken, though they've been reduced to talking about Pokemon and Russian internet ads (many of which came AFTER the election, and one of which was for a documentary attacking a Trump golf course). They clutch onto that raft so they don't have to admit they nominated an even worse candidate than Trump to run for the presidency.

      And before the Russian chicken came a long, right-wing Democrats were fucking the "white male privilege" chicken with abandon,

    • by Xyrus ( 755017 )

      He speaks the truth! I mean, why else would he post as Anonymous Koward Comrade?

    • ... Realize that the MSM(ratings), politicians(votes) and external forces(espionage) are at place to cause anger? The common American goes about their day, trying to earn enough to provide for their loved ones. But the left is eating up anything and everything divisive, projecting all kinds of ill will towards anyone who has a differing opinion

      You do remember the years of insisting that the first black president was not American and was a secret Muslim? The insane conspiracy theories claiming that illegal immigrants were voting and stealing elections. Claims that scientists were part of some bizarre global warming conspiracy? Treating gay and transgendered people like second class citizens.

      These aren't fringe ideas from the right. These are right in the main-stream of the Republican party.

      SO MUCH SO, that a person who should not be the president of the US, IS the president of the US, because there was no other choice.

      On the Republican side, no, there wasn't a lot of choice.

  • by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Saturday October 14, 2017 @09:20AM (#55367959)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Reinforcing phony narratives isn't "pointing out racial issues..."

      They spotted the gullible media willingness to swallow the "hands up, don't shoot" fiction at face value, and leveraged it to further coarsen our political culture. Simple as that. They want discord, because it helps distract from their criminality. The fake BLM-style narrative is a perfect bit of leverage to that end.
  • You all just loved Russia when they were flat out honest to goodness murderous communists.
    • by PPH ( 736903 )

      Seriously this.

      The saddest day in boardrooms of the major military-industrial suppliers was when the Eastern Bloc collapsed. They knew that the evil USSR was their primary justification for increased budgets and profits. I wouldn't be surprised if they negotiated with Soviet generals. 'We build a supersonic bomber and you can go to your committee and fund a supersonic interceptor. More jobs for everyone!'

    • I'm a Russian, and I never murdered anyone. So you can stop loving me now. Truth is more important than love, so I won't pretend to be a murderer :P
  • If so you should send me your money before some Nigerian prince steals it from you. The story went from Russia hacking servers and emails, to Russia colluding with Trump, and now we're down to talking about Pokemon and Facebook ads. But Russiagaters have to keep talking about this - if they stop, they'd have to admit they were a million megatons of bullshit crammed into a five pound sack.

    https://consortiumnews.com/201... [consortiumnews.com]

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) on Saturday October 14, 2017 @09:59AM (#55368111) Homepage Journal

      Actually the evidence is mounting. This article has a good summary with plenty of links: https://www.theguardian.com/us... [theguardian.com]

      I find this report by the Director of National Intelligence particularly interesting: https://www.dni.gov/files/docu... [dni.gov]

      We also assess Putin and the Russian Government aspired to help President-elect Trumpâ(TM)s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him.All three agencies agree with this judgment. CIA and FBI have high confidence in this judgment;NSA has moderate confidence.

      Moscowâ(TM)s influence campaign followed a Russian messaging strategy that blends covert intelligence operationsâ"such as cyber activityâ"with overt efforts by Russian Government agencies, state-funded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid socialmedia users or âoetrolls.â

      The extent to which Trump was involved in this has yet to be determined. The investigation is on-going. It seems that some of his staff did meet with people working for the Russian government and communicated with them in other ways, but to be fair that in itself isn't proof of actual collusion. Trump and his team may well be victims of Russian government manipulation too. It certainly undermines his victory.

      We don't know the full extent of this for some time, and even then the way Trump has interfered with the investigation means that any conclusions are unlikely to be accepted now.

      • ...to send me your life savings?

        Actually the hysteria is mounting.

        Fixed that for you.

        The Russian's hacked power plants storyline was bullshit. [theatlantic.com]
        CrowdStrike is bullshit. [voanews.com]
        The "17 intelligence agencies" line was bullshit. [consortiumnews.com]
        The Russia hacked election systems is bullshit. [theintercept.com]

        find this report by the Director of National Intelligence particularly interesting

        Sure, lets look at this - while remembering the FBI wasn't allowed to examine the DNC servers so how exactly would they have "high confidence" in any thing - but th

        • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) on Saturday October 14, 2017 @11:42AM (#55368623) Homepage Journal

          What does the DNC emails have to do with Russian inference? Your entire argument seems to be that because you found some fake thing everything else no matter how unrelated must also be fake.

          This seems to be a standard tactic of alternative fact peddlers. CNN made a mistake once, therefore everything they ever reported is fake news.

          • by Uberbah ( 647458 ) on Saturday October 14, 2017 @12:52PM (#55368929)

            What does the DNC emails have to do with Russian inference?

            Are you....kidding? It's only the foundation for for the accusations that Russia tried to interfere with the election. No big whoop.

            Your entire argument seems to be that because you found everything to be fake everything else no matter how unrelated must also be fake.

            FTFY2.

            This seems to be a standard tactic of alternative fact peddlers. CNN made a mistake once, therefore everything they ever reported is fake news.

            Your projection is noted - Russiagate is the definition of fake news.

            Don't like that? Then come up with more evidence than what Birthers, Chem Trailers and Sandy Hook Truthers do to support their theories. Or admit you've turned into that cranky Uncle Bob on Facebook who insists to this day that Obama really was a Kenyan-born Muslim with a fake birth certificate.

            Eh.

            Veh.

            Dence.

            • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) on Saturday October 14, 2017 @01:16PM (#55369041) Homepage Journal

              The foundation of the accusations about Russian interference are the FBI, CIA and NSA investigations of their activity on social media, funding and meeting with American citizens. It's all in that report, why don't you read it?

              • by Uberbah ( 647458 ) on Saturday October 14, 2017 @01:58PM (#55369273)

                The foundation of the accusations about Russian interference are the FBI, CIA and NSA investigations of their activity on social media, funding and meeting with American citizens.

                No. It's not. Not even remotely close. Whining about Social Media ads - many of which were placed after the election last November and someone of which involved cute pictures of cats or criticizing a Trump golf course in Scotland - is the last pathetic attempt of partisan hacks desperate to keep their edition of the Whtiewater/Vince Foster witch hunts going. Or didn't you notice the steady moving of the goalposts - from DNC hacking to collusion to $100,000 in ads (many of which were place after the election) in a race where Hillary spent $1.2 biiiiiiiillion dollars?

                It's all in that report, why don't you read it?

                You mean a report completely lacking in the aforementioned Eh Veh Dence from the same professional liars who sold you on Saddam plotting 911, who spy on Congress while perjuring [usnews.com] themselves before Congress?

                Did you read the link noting that all this hyperventilation is over drops in an ocean?

                Say hi to Uncle Bob for me, as you've turned into a Birther: someone who skates right on by legitimate reasons to oppose a political opponent in favor of engaging in theories so bizarre they wouldn't make it onto Info Wars.

                And all so that the corporate Democrats that brought you Trump can make the conversation about Russia and not their epic fail, so they can maintain control and direction over the party. Might as take one of Uncle Bob's "4 more years!" sign and put it on your lawn. Right now.

                • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

                  Yeah okay, they are all liars, blah blah. Do you have any actual evidence though? I mean, in the case of Iraq there was strong evidence even at the time that it was bullshit, but here there appears to be zero.

                  I mean, if there was any evidence then why hasn't Trump done anything with it? Why doesn't he fire the people behind this conspiracy against him, or start an investigation into it as he threatened to do with Hilary?

                  • by Uberbah ( 647458 )

                    Do you have any actual evidence though? I mean, in the case of Iraq there was strong evidence even at the time that it was bullshit, but here there appears to be zero

                    I no more need to provide evidence that Russia did not hack the election than you need to provide evidence that you did not build a time machine to go back and assassinate Abraham Lincoln.

                    1) You cannot prove a negative
                    2) It's the job of the person making the claim to provide the evidence

                    And so far Russiagates have as much evidence as the people

                    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

                      Well there is evidence that Russia did interfere with the election, some presented in that report and some from other sources... So yeah, you do need to provide evidence that it never happened and explain why major US government agencies are lying about it.

                    • by Uberbah ( 647458 )

                      Well there is evidence

                      You're really struggling with this "evidence" concept, aren't you? Accusations, assertions and innuendos are not evidence....Birther.

                    • by Uberbah ( 647458 )

                      That's some weak sauce, AC. Evidence against OJ was presented openly in a court of law. Whereas ZERO evidence has been presented ANYWHERE that Russia did jack or shit last year.

                      Right, the members of the joint intelligence committee and the various members of congress who have seen the evidence are lying about it existing

                      You mean the people that spy on Congress while perjuring themselves before Congress? The same people that lied to you about Iraq, Libya and Syria?

                      Cashiers check or PayPal. I'm waiting.

                • You mean a report completely lacking in the aforementioned Eh Veh Dence from the same professional liars who sold you on Saddam plotting 911

                  You gotta love the right, misrepresent evidence from the CIA to justify a war, then point your previous deception as reason to doubt evidence of your latest misdeeds.

                  • by Uberbah ( 647458 )

                    You gotta love the right, misrepresent evidence from the CIA to justify a war, then point your previous deception as reason to doubt evidence of your latest misdeeds.

                    You're 0 for 3. Care to back up and try again, but reading this time?

        • your non-rebuttal is strait out of the allies of right-wing propoganda. Try harder.
    • If so you should send me your money before some Nigerian prince steals it from you. The story went from Russia hacking servers and emails, to Russia colluding with Trump, and now we're down to talking about Pokemon and Facebook ads. But Russiagaters have to keep talking about this - if they stop, they'd have to admit they were a million megatons of bullshit crammed into a five pound sack.

      https://consortiumnews.com/201... [consortiumnews.com]

      Yeah... the story isn't actually changing, there's just more chapters.

      It's like how when a new woman comes out and accuses Harvey Weinstien of assaulting her people don't go "wait, I thought the story was that Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted 20 women, now it's claimed he assaulted 21??? The story is changing!! It's all bullshit!!!"

      • by Uberbah ( 647458 )

        Yeah... the story isn't actually changing, there's just more chapters.

        Of course the story is changing - otherwise they'd be talking about how Boris Yanchecov, Russian FSB agent personally gave a thumb drive to Jared Kushner with DNC emails to leak to Fox News and now asking Trump to resign. Not talking about $5000 in Google ads purchased out of Google's $70 billion in annual ad revenue.

        But that's not happening, because the entire hysteria was deranged partisan bullshit from the beginning.

        It's like how when

  • by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 14, 2017 @09:37AM (#55368027)

    Pokemon Go plays YOU!

  • ... to defeat this Russian plot would be to patch up racial differences. We can start by identifying their operatives in this country who work against this goal and deal with them harshly. Where is HUAC [wikipedia.org] when we need them?

  • Ruskies can learn a thing or two from US media on how best to "inflame racial tensions" for profit.

  • It's like a Roth IRA, but...no wait, it still screws you in the end. Never mind.
  • "Squirrel!" works for dogs.

    For Americans, it's: "Russians!".

    Welcome back to the 1950s, folks.

    • by Mondor ( 704672 )

      So true. But people will always buy it. At least until the next big war, when they will sober for another 30-50 years.

Keep up the good work! But please don't ask me to help.

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