Misinformation campaign targets USA Today reporter, editor investigating Pentagon contractors

[Newsjock]

Source: USA Today

A USA TODAY reporter and editor investigating Pentagon propaganda contractors have themselves been subjected to a propaganda campaign of sorts, waged on the Internet through a series of bogus websites.

Fake Twitter and Facebook accounts have been created in their names, along with a Wikipedia entry and dozens of message board postings and blog comments. Websites were registered in their names.

The timeline of the activity tracks USA TODAY's reporting on the military's "information operations" program, which spent hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan — campaigns that have been criticized even within the Pentagon as ineffective and poorly monitored.

... If the websites were created using federal funds, it could violate federal law prohibiting the production of propaganda for domestic consumption.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-04-19/vanden-brook-locker-propaganda/54419654/1

[Enrique]

1. wow, our tax dollars at work

I would normally say the DOJ should be investigating, but they would probably end up going after the reporter.

[DCKit]

2. "...violate federal law prohibiting the production of propaganda for domestic consumption."

What was BuchCo* if not eight years of endless, government funded propaganda?

If we can't get 'em on war crimes, let's get them on a technicality - call it "Operation Capone".

[saras]

3. The sites violate the law no matter who made them, or for what ostensible purpose

In addition, they almost certainly left an easily traceable trail.

But the US has no interest in prosecuting.

That's all.

[hootinholler]

4. Google persona management sometime

This is an industry.

[shcrane71]

5. So defamation is an industry in the US.

That's great. I'm sure that will inspire many citizens to use their creativity for entrepreneurial endeavors and other positive things that benefit society.