Bedbug panic was stoked by Russia, says France
Bedbug panic was stoked by Russia, says France
France shut several schools in October last year over concern about bedbug infestations. France has blamed the Kremlin for spreading misinformation about the pests.
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I believe it.
People are generally ignorant of how the Kremlin, and more recently the CCP, are using social media to divide democratic countries.
Same. The Russian IRA follows a simple, time-tested method: do whatever you can right now, little by little.
Most of it is just simple opinion shaping (try to connect the anger of internet strangers to the EU, US, liberals or the left). The interest slowly accumulates. Spreading bedbug hysteria causes just a little harm to France's reputation, causes just a small bit of disillusion in its people and reduces Olympic revenue by maybe just some 10'000 euros -- but ever so slowly, it alters the overall course.
Dumb question, but if it's so effective why dont we don't in Russia? Or if we do, why doesn't it work as well?
Idk, but the Russian propaganda blames everything on the "Collective West". Like E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Even the recent murder of Navalny, who was contained in a highly isolated prison in the Arctic Circle was attributed to the US spies.
Jokes aside, I think such news was elevated externally, and it was a big deal in Russia: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/16/7437453/
We do, but both countries have "Great Firewalls" and much more tightly control what their denizens do online. Not sure why you expect to be made aware of it.
Only because I hear a lot about Russia doing it here and it's effectiveness... Meanwhile Putin is still in power... It just seems if the us is doing it as well, we just ain't as good as it.
Russia is simply unmatched in intelligence. We genuinely aren't as good at it. They also turn a blind eye to cybercriminals within their borders as long as their victims remain outside Russia. They also have an agreed upon common playbook and a common goal that their powers are working in lockstep towards. Meanwhile the US has multiple oligarchs with competing goals. That's the real drawback to democracy (or whatever the US is now) vs fascism. Lining up behind a strong leader and common goal gets things done, it's one reason why fascism keeps popping its ugly head back up.
I'd like to believe that our intelligence communities do, but I don't know.
What I do know that that Russian propaganda tries to "immunize" their marks against mismatching views. One method is to pull them out of the shared media ecosystem by seeding distrust against non-aligned media. Another is to associate any undesirable viewpoints with weakness, idiocy or perversion.
Last but not least, Russia already tested a complete internet disconnect of their country so they could isolate their own population from anything not state controlled, should the tide turn or an emergency happen.
People don't have access to social media in Russia like they do in most democratic countries. They don't have as many devices, slower access, language barriers, and much bigger risk of serious problems from the government.
Also, democratic governments run by committees are less able and less willing to use this kind of tactic.
People don't have access to social media in Russia like they do in most democratic countries.
We do. About 70% of the population admit that they use VK, less use Telegram, youth uses TikTok. When Instagram wasn't banned, about 15 millions used it at least once a week.
They don't have as many devices,
We have about 300 millions of registered mobile devices - more than 2 per citizen, including newborns and elderly people.
slower access,
While it's true for now due to governmental restrictions, the monopoly of Rostelecom, and sanctions, the internet access in Russia have been developing rapidly. Ookla says that Russia has an internet speed of about 85 Mbit/s on average. This number is pretty useless in the current context when the huge amount of the traffic to Europe routes via USA servers, but still it's a good number.
language barriers, and much bigger risk of serious problems from the government.
You got this part correct!
Yes I'm not saying Russia is still in the stone age, but
- 74% smartphone owner ship in Russia vs 82% in the US.
- 73% social media penetration in Russia vs 92% in the US
Those are significant differences. People in Russia are actively protected from foreign propaganda (like banning Instagram), whereas in the US there's a heavy emphasis on free speech and access to information.
Divide and conquer, a very old tactic now possible in an entirely new way via the Internet and social media. As with many things in life, it's complicated. There are many factors... but I think we already agree anyway.
This is what we do. The USA/CIA does this every day and they are the best. Any time a South or Central American or Middle Eastern state elects someone who puts that state's interests above those of the United States, that person is doomed.
Their reputation will plummet as long as they maintain freedom of the press. And if they decide to defend themselves by restricting press freedom in a trial to stop the media from lying, they are even more doomed to fail.
Only a dictatorship like China can defend itself against American opinion-forming. But of course, life under a dictatorship has its own shortcomings. But perhaps it's better than being another piece of prey in the American portfolio, unable to counter Western arrogance and racism. There are only a few countries on earth that can be seen as accomplices of American imperialism and not as its victims.
Unfortunately, Eastern Europe was not smart enough to hold on to the changed Soviet Union under Gorbachev and become its own economic power like China.
They simply switched sides and became a bargain for Western interests. The Spoils of the Cold War. Just a market for western companies and products. Helpless at the mercy of the Americans. This is what professional propaganda can do to peoples.
While Putin tries to turn back time. Also pathetic. He will be able to destroy a lot but his country will never benefit from it.