Hey, look, a new user, whose only post has the goal of discrediting Assange!
Do you think three-letter agencies are now actively trying to shape public opinion of themselves and their doings by astroturfing popular tech blogs? I recall seeing a document not too long about how the FBI could basically "destroy" a public forum by trolling, insulting, making fun of certain ideas certain principles certain people. In the recent months I've been seeing this on Reddit, -- views that before couldn't be found before about acceptance of surveillance at the cost of liberty, about the goods of laissez-faire capitalistic systems -- you didn't see this much on Reddit before. I'm not sure what to make of it, if it's just new users with different views or if there is some concerted effort by political, or possibly governmental entities to shape things in their favor.
That probably sounds unreasonably conspiratorial, but nevertheless consider how effective such a taking would be. Once the public at large is on their side, it's a done deal.
Anyway, the great thing about HN is we wouldn't fall prey to such troll tactics. It's good that unsubstantiated attacks, ad hominems, etc. are usually downvoted.
Effective at what? Getting computer programmers to going back on topic? That would be awesome. Why would the NSA care who's getting karma points on Hacker News?
Keith Alexander, the NSA chief head himself, came to the last Defcon (IN BLACK JEANS AND A HIP T-SHIRT, NO LESS) trying to recruit hackers [1]. Shaping the opinions of hackers as to whether they support/work for the surveillance state.
[1]: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57481689-83/nsa-director-fi...
And they that say irony is dead.
I strongly suspect that they do. I think there have even been some published articles about various govt. agencies developing (or looking to develop) technology for this kind of manipulation. I don't have a citation handy, but if I can scare up one of the articles I think I'm remembering, I'll post it.
Edit: Here you go, they they definitely have the technology, but - as you might expect - they claim it isn't used on Americans. But in light of everything else we've learned the past few weeks, would anybody be surprised to find out that they are, indeed, using this on Americans?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-oper...
edit: I see it here now -- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5925001 -- thanks
I agree with clicks that it's something worth being aware of.
They're both gangs of people who have personal motivations but a mob mentality.
check out my post history. it's happening to me as we speak. I posted a solution: sue them. I got buried. :)
What's strange is the comments often claim indifference and yet have registered especially just to post once about their apathy at this news of widespread surveillance :)
And I would answer, do you think if you were in charge of such things you'd be suitably doing your job if you hadn't?
But yeah, it's a red flag.
(I also couldn't tell if they were talking about me or Assange.)