Matt Taibbi

Rank 23 of 47
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Score 29
6/6/2024, 1:37:23 PM
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In reply to:
Matt Taibbi
@mtaibbi
·
616d
34. On December 19th, two days after submitting a high-profile report on Russian bots to the Senate, New Knowledge and Morgan were outed by the New York Times in a scheme that involved funneling fake Russian accounts to the campaign of Senate candidate Roy Moore:
Matt Taibbi
@mtaibbi
·
616d
33. By December, 2018 it was such a given that #Walkaway was Russian-affiliated that even a former high-ranking Homeland Security official like Suzanne Spaulding described Straka’s group as an attempt by Putin to divide America, adding of too-online Americans:
Matt Taibbi
@mtaibbi
·
616d
32. Bhat when originally contacted strongly disagreed with Twitter’s assessment, said his methodology was sound, and suggested some news outlets confused terms like “bot” and “bot-like.” (More to come on that at Racket.)
Matt Taibbi
@mtaibbi
·
616d
31. Policy chief Pickles added:

"Doesn’t publish data, does sell consultancy. Definition of monetizing the problem."
Matt Taibbi
@mtaibbi
·
616d
30. Twitter regarded the firms in the same light as Hamilton 68, with Roth writing:

"The Botcheck people use a similarly flawed methodology... this is truly a nothingburger... journalists continuing to lean on deeply flawed tools... capitalize on the bot media frenzy.
Matt Taibbi
@mtaibbi
·
616d
29. Factcheck and Botcheck were two related companies begun by a pair of Berkeley students named Rohan Phadte and Ash Bhat, whom Wired praised as the College Kids who “will do what Twitter won’t”:

The statement and accompanying images discuss a scheme involving fake Russian accounts to influence the perception of a political campaign, which is a significant public issue. The tone is investigative and critical, aiming to expose manipulation tactics in political discourse.

  1. Principle 1:
    I will strive to do no harm with my words and actions.
    The statement aims to uncover deceptive practices, which aligns with the principle of striving to do no harm by exposing potential misinformation. [+2]
  2. Principle 2:
    I will respect the privacy and dignity of others and will not engage in cyberbullying, harassment, or hate speech.
    The statement respects the privacy and dignity of individuals by focusing on the actions of organizations rather than personal attacks. [+2]
  3. Principle 3:
    I will use my words and actions to promote understanding, empathy, and compassion.
    By revealing the scheme, the statement promotes understanding and awareness of how public perception can be manipulated, fostering empathy and caution among the public. [+2]
  4. Principle 4:
    I will engage in constructive criticism and dialogue with those in disagreement and will not engage in personal attacks or ad hominem arguments.
    The statement engages in constructive criticism by highlighting the flaws in the methodology used by certain firms and the resulting media frenzy, without resorting to personal attacks. [+2]
  5. Principle 6:
    I will use my influence for the betterment of society.
    The statement uses its platform to inform the public about significant issues, thereby contributing to the betterment of society. [+2]