Exclusive: FBI tracked 'fake news' believed to be from Russia on Election Day

[L. Coyote]

What was their reaction to the DU hack?

Exclusive: FBI tracked 'fake news' believed to be from Russia on Election Day
By Shimon Prokupecz, Pamela Brown and Evan Perez, CNN -- August 4, 2017

Washington (CNN)The FBI monitored social media on Election Day last year in an effort to track a suspected Russian disinformation campaign utilizing "fake news," CNN has learned.
In the months leading up to Election Day, Twitter and Facebook were the feeding grounds for viral "news" stories floating conspiracies and hoaxes, many aimed at spreading negative false claims about Hillary Clinton.
On Election Day, dozens of agents and analysts huddled at a command center arrayed with large monitoring screens at the FBI headquarters in Washington watching for security threats, according to multiple sources. ..............

[Igel]

1. I see where they discussed "possible problems."

I don't see where they actually found any fake news.

That's a huge gap, albeit for many it's trivial. "Possible = proven"?

And, if any of the possible was fake, I don't see (a) discussion of how they'd handle it or (b) what they did.

I'll overlook equating false news with "security threats."


On the other hand, there's the FBI closely monitoring social media for problems. What's not to love?

Again, don't see this as a solution. Don't see it as a good thing. Don't see it dealing with a problem. Or even as having defined the problem clearly enough to be able to be evaluated as a solution or to deal with it.

[leftstreet]

2. There's something just so 'off' about all this

I expect news sources like CNN and the NYT to not run 'fake news' stories. That is to say it's their job to source and verify whatever they're putting out there.

But attempting to police social media (which is essentially the people's media) just doesn't sit well

Were FBI agents ever staked out at grocery store lines monitoring the source or validity of Batboy articles?

I don't trust any of this

[furtheradu]

3. I had the same question!

No answer in the cnn article, tho.

[Cracklin Charlie]

4. "Fake news"

"Local milk people"

I think I may be seeing a pattern. Trump uses the descriptions that his handlers give him, for the things that are happening around him.

As in...
Jared: We're gonna win by using social engineering.
Trump: what's that?
Jared: Fake News

Every accusation is a confession.

[Scurrilous]

5. K&R