France to Probe Possible Russian Influence on Yellow Vest Riots

[Julian Englis]

Source: Bloomberg

France opened a probe into possible Russian interference behind the country’s Yellow Vest protests, after reports that social-media accounts linked to Moscow have increasingly targeted the movement.

According to the Alliance for Securing Democracy, about 600 Twitter accounts known to promote Kremlin views have begun focusing on France, boosting their use of the hashtag #giletsjaunes, the French name for the Yellow Vest movement. French security services are looking at the situation, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday in a radio interview with RTL.

Russia has been criticized for using social media to influence elections in the U.S. and elsewhere. Attempts to use fake news reports and cyberattacks to undercut the 2017 campaign of French President Emmanuel Macron failed, but Russian-linked sites have pushed questionable reports of a mutiny among police, and of officers’ support for the protests.

“An investigation is now underway,” Le Drian said. “I will not make comments before the investigation has brought conclusions.”

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-09/pro-russia-social-media-aims-at-macron-as-yellow-vests-rage

[democratisphere]

1. The world needs to conduct a relentless cyber siege on Russia!

F'em!

[dalton99a]

2. At a minimum Russia should be kicked out of the world's financial system

and treated like North Korea. Make them carry cash in suitcases

[Initech]

5. At the very least can we collectively IP ban them from the internet?

They have done nothing but give us bad ideas, and they need to be removed permanently.

[nycbos]

3. Wouldn't shock me

[Initech]

4. Russia was behind it? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!

[dalton99a]

8. They're using the same playbook: Exploit and weaponize the fear and resentment in rural and

non-urban areas

[SunSeeker]

6. Good. nt

[KatyBR]

7. Russia is a poor economy and only has petroleum as a single major resource

So of course Macron who is taking leadership on the Paris Agreement and is trying to take active measures to to tamp down petroleum use is a target for Putin, who likely wants to make an example of Macron this way.
The violence and destruction of their own national monuments is not the way the French protest; this has all the signs of an orchestration.

[FakeNoose]

15. The country's wealth and resources have been stolen by Putin

... and given to his buddies, the oligarchs. That's why it's a poor country, not because nothing is there. The Russian citizens were better off in the U.S.S.R. than they are now, believe it or not. Their best hope is for Putin to die young (soon) and leave the government in turmoil without a likely "heir." At least then democracy might get a foothold before the next autocrat takes over.

[Autumn]

9. If only we had leaders like France that are not owned by Russia they would be held

accountable for their dirty tricks in our election.

[ToxMarz]

10. I wouldn't be surprised if there was outside influence

In ramping up "the caravan" as far as timing and it's behavior. The Trump government has admitted they had infiltrated the whatsapp communications being used. Did they merely monitor, or did they influence/instigate.

[Auggie]

16. Me too

[BigmanPigman]

11. Macron is smart.

I heard that in other European countries social media was blocked from everyone for a little while before their elections so there wouldn't be Russian influence.

Putin is conducting a cyber war and must be stopped. We can punish them through sanctions and try to block their bots and trolls who are paid for by Russia. Cyber wars are cheap compared to military conflicts. Putin is years ahead of other countries using this as a weapon.

[erronis]

12. And other countries aren't doing the same? Throwing stones in glass houses and all that.

Since some rules exist about making possible other-side talking points, I'll be circumspect.

Some other nation/states and organizations may have engaged in tactics to disrupt governments and voting in other jurisdictions. This may have been going on since WW-II or even since some Romans or Grecians ruled some land. Maybe even since some animals lived in trees or in the soil.

But it's normal to try to protect your turf. To say that the other side is evil and engaging in nefarious actions.

And I personally believe that the US and western democracies, are to survive that they need to protect their societies against hostile actions.

[elmac]

13. Its cyber war and russia is taking advantage of all the belt tightening going on in the EU,

Russia is weaponizing countries citizens. If the EU sticks together and fights them economically it will pretty much finish off Russia as they are in a never ending recession but, it could also make them more radical, dangerous.

[BobTheSubgenius]

14. I see France also demanded that Putin's B Team butt out of French domestic politics, as well.

I don't think this is going to make the House Of Dump like France any more it already doesn't.

[PSPS]

17. Putin's biggest asset at the moment has a twitter account and resides in the white house

The tweets emanating from the golden toilet about french politics proves that.

[Nitram]

18. When the the Russians see an opportunity...