This check-list comes from the Ukraine so the translation into English is a
little shaky. The point is Trump/Putin are pulling the same stunts in the
United States.
15 points of Russian Propaganda from Euromaidan Press (EP)
The only way to stop Putin’s Cyber Attacks is to take his weapon away
from him. We can that, in part, by saying no to his racist appeals and
cynical distortions of the truth.
One of 470 sites set up by a Russian troll farm –Facebook ads from Russia
Russian information warfare is a psychological attack based on decades
of advanced Soviet Era research into human behavior.
Russia’s stories are more emotional and the stories are more exciting even if we know they’re not true.
“The Kremlin narrative,” says Pomerantsev, “is ‘there is no truth out there, and you’ll never find it; but go with us because our emotional content is more vital.”
That promotes cynicism and “cynicism breaks down critical thinking” because at its root is something quite medieval and emotional – a world of myths and storytelling.”
“When you don’t believe in facts,” Pomerantsev concludes, “you are just left with that.”
Are you LGBTQ? Vlad wants you to think of Bernie Sanders as a gay rights
superhero (especially ‘Berniacs’ who didn’t know Clinton and Sanders held
the same positions on Gay Rights):
Vlad says color me Bernie!
Or maybe you’re concerned about Police Brutality and the killings of
unarmed African-Americans:
A Russian Facebook Page against police brutality
Perhaps you wondered if Black Lives Matter was a problem:
Did you wonder if ‘Black Lives Matter’ was the problem?
Or maybe you were a ‘Woke Black’ willing to think the ‘Democrat welfare
state’ keeps Black People down:
A Russian Facebook Page for ‘Woke Blacks’
If you were a white supremacist who kept his racist shit to himself, Vladdy
was there to set you free, with this:
Or maybe you were a White Racist who kept it to himself.
And this:
A hypothetical Immigrant crossed our border to have a hypothetical baby that deprives a hypothetical vet of his or her benefits
And this:
A Russian Facebook ad attacking Muslims
And these:
A Russian Facebook ad defaming liberals and Mexicans.Hypothetical Citizens before Hypothetical refugees
And if you happen to hate Trump, Vladdy has a Facebook page for you, too!
A Russian anti-Trump Facebook Page.
Information is your best defense against Russian bullshit.
found on GIPHY
If you see one or more of the following 15 points in a news story, or hear them used by a public figure be suspicious:
A black and white division of the world into “ours” and the “alien” other;
Epithets that imply more than they describe;
Constant assertions that those supporting Putin or Trump are more numerous and united. (The results of manipulated and flawed polls are often used to support such assertions);
Empty declarations that mean nothing but seem to promise or
prove everything;
Playing games with cause and effect, often reversing their true order;
Making false accusations but not providing proof;
A vicious circle or tautology where the second part of an
assertion is simply a repetition of the first;
Confusing the part with the whole by focusing on only one part
of something such as liberals within the opposition;
Creating false dilemmas that don’t exist;
Careful preparation of headlines which are the only thing
most people pay attention to;
Citations to experts, often false and even more often out of context;
Claiming all media reports when only one media outlet does;
Using weasel words like “so-called” or “it would appear” to give an appearance of objectivity;
Outright falsification; and
Conspiracy theories and suggestion of hidden motives.
Art by Rob Goldstein 