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Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

thewire.in

11–20 of 23 posts

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#11

I consider myself an ex-anonymous guy from the days of the yore. Think back in 2010. Around the same time, twitter was heating up as a "troll war" between three major groups. 1. Pro India. 2. Pro Pakistan. 3. Pro Kashmir independence. I was in the 3rd group and I remember spending time, 14 hours at times to fighting trolls. There was some sort of flame wars but nothing too difficult. I remember learning a lot of stuf…

Do these wars actually change something?

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#12
post #11

I consider myself an ex-anonymous guy from the days of the yore. Think back in 2010. Around the same time, twitter was heating up as a "troll war" between three major groups. 1. Pro India. 2. Pro Pakistan. 3. Pro Kashmir independence. I was in the 3rd group and I remember spending time, 14 hours at times to fighting trolls. There was some sort of flame wars but nothing too difficult. I remember learning a lot of stuf…

Do these wars actually change something?

nope. feel good for the "argument winners" and a lifetime of mental trauma to people who inevitably fall victims

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#13
post #8

Anecdotally, I feel that some sort of tool like this is being used on YouTube as well. I don't use other 'social media' platforms. I've created two accounts, one where I mostly watch left-wing videos and one where I watch more right-wing videos. Mostly local news and political discussions. From the comment sections, it seems that the left-wing videos are very often 'under attack', as if someone sees a new upload from…

I have noticed the same behavior, looks like someone somewhere has subscribe to these left/neutral channels and they get a notification as soon as the video pops up and start disliking and commenting unrelated right wing stuff. Most users also have default auto-generated thumbnails.

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#15

The alleged "antagonist" refutes this article [1] as a lie. I'm not saying it isn't true. [1] https://mobile.twitter.com/DevangVDave

..and the article mentions it, besides there are other points raised in the article as well.

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#16
post #2

Share apk. All will be revealed.

>The source did not provide The Wire direct access to the Tek Fog app. They claimed that this was due to the presence of various security restrictions – including the requirement of three one-time passwords (OTPs) to login to the app dashboard and the use of a local firewall that prevents access outside of the facility.

I don't think that's possible.

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#17
The screenshots also show that these accounts are created using the in-app features that allow individual operatives to generate 'temporary' email addresses, activate phone numbers and by-pass programming limitations, and email and OTP verification set by WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram.

How do they verify phone number OTP's? Do they have access to SMS data through telecom companies too? SMS OTP's are insecure anyway.

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#18

Focus on "right-wing propaganda" is important enough to be included in headline, but never mentioned again. Suggests to me that this article is scaremongering. Do you really think any organized group isn't using social media automation at this point, be that left or right?

Maybe there’s another article where they swap right for left to double their click revenue.

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#19
post #2

Share apk. All will be revealed.

>The source did not provide The Wire direct access to the Tek Fog app. They claimed that this was due to the presence of various security restrictions – including the requirement of three one-time passwords (OTPs) to login to the app dashboard and the use of a local firewall that prevents access outside of the facility. I don't think that's possible.

probably just a webview wrapper anyway

Re: Tek Fog: An App for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends

#20
This has been oft-rumoured over the past few years and it's good in a way to see proof.

Even without tools like this, the BJP are already known to have groups of people employed to push their messages across social media and reply to any dissenting posts.

It's a shame Congress is so bad at keeping up with the times to mount an effective counter party. While the AAP are too small.

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