Russia(gate/bot) Facebook and Google Meddling in Russian Elections!?!?!

[Husky_Khan]

Russia accuses Facebook, Google of interfering in its elections

Roskomnadzor, Russia's communications regulator, said that the US tech giants allowed political ads to run during regional elections on September 8 despite being warned two days earlier...

www.techspot.com

Apparently United Russia or whatever the top party is called lost a considerable number of seats in the last election. The blame clearly lies with Facebook and Google allowing ads on their publishers platforms within two days of the election itself, which is a violation of Russian election law apparently. Personally it seems like an insignificant much ado about nothing... like other... similar issues like this... but it's worth a discussion if only to analyse how we are going to bear witness to how our Big Tech overlords will eventually dominate all elections and bring down the Trump-Putin Axis.

 

[Arch Dornan]

Does that mean more inside leaks will come out?

 

[Isem]

Imma be honest, my first thought on reading this is "good". Mainly because it means that now there's another nation that wants to beat the shit out of google for the crap they keep trying to pull.

 

[Lightershoulders]

Honestly, I don't care. That is a stupid law clearly meant to favor the ruling party.

This isn't hacking by the US like Russia did to the US, this is Russia failing to put a tech company in its place when they needed to.

 

[S'task]

While, as an American I find most laws restriction election advertising an unconscionable affront to the 1st Amendment, laws restriction political ads within a period before the election aren't even unheard of in the US. In fact, the case Citizens United was about such laws (and the law in question was rightfully struck down).

That said, companies are supposed to follow the law in the countries they're operating in, and if FB and Google failed to do so in Russia... well... I honestly don't have much sympathy for them anymore assuming they have servers in Russia. If they don't... well... that's Russia's problem.

 

[Captain X]

They've been meddling in American elections, so why shouldn't they do the same to other countries?

 

[Arch Dornan]

They've been meddling in American elections, so why shouldn't they do the same to other countries?

Weren't there videos of Google staff expressing dissatisfaction with the election including the CEO?

 

[PsihoKekec]

Not to mention that State Department meddled in all Russian elections since 1992, I'm sure they welcome the private sector support in continuing this endaveour.

 

[Lightershoulders]

Honestly, less meddling of an election like hacking and stealing info to influence the election and more just a criminal breaking of the law to influence the election.

I personally rank stealing / hacking as worse, but ignoring the law should be addressed and punished.

It wouldn't shock me if google and facebook just wanted that sweet ad revenue and ignored the law for it. But it wouldn't shock me if they were honestly were trying to influence the election too.

Honestly, the people who paid for the ads should be charged too, but that would look like culling the opposing party.

 

[Captain X]

They've been exposed in censoring and modifying search results. For example, if you looked up "Epstein and Clinton" you would instead get results connecting Trump and Epstein. And both them and Facebook have been using that "fake news" bs to censor news that they didn't like.

 

[Doomsought]

This isn't hacking by the US like Russia did to the US,

Hacking what exactly? The only thing Russia has done was fabricate the piss documents for Hillary.`

 

[Husky_Khan]

Hacking what exactly? The only thing Russia has done was fabricate the piss documents for Hillary.`

They hacked the DNC servers allegedly and gave it to that crazy white haired Aussie that we're programmed not to like now.

 

[Lightershoulders]

Hacking what exactly? The only thing Russia has done was fabricate the piss documents for Hillary.`

They hacked the DNC. If this happened to the Republicans, calls for bombings would be being screamed by the far left.

allegedly

Not allegedly, fact. The Muller report confirmed that much.

And before we get into accusations of bias, remember the Email craziness with Hillary got out because of him.

 

[ShadowsOfParadox]

They've been exposed in censoring and modifying search results.

btw, can't find this site through Google Search, I find myself going through DuckDuckGo whenever I'm browsing on not my home PC.

 

[Cherico]

…...

Ok at this point I think Google's execs are criminally stupid, this isn't like America where you will just have to pay a fine, or at most do a nickle in the clink if you really fucked up. This is Russia they can and do strait up murder people who Fuck with their internal stuff.

I....if some one in google dies from radiation poisoning Im not going to have any pity for them.

 

[Lanmandragon]

Imma be honest, my first thought on reading this is "good". Mainly because it means that now there's another nation that wants to beat the shit out of google for the crap they keep trying to pull.

Man if that happens it'd be crazy. Nothing good happens to you when the US and Russia hate you so much. That we set aside our animosity to hurt you. Just ask the Axis how well that turns out.

 

[Lanmandragon]

Honestly, less meddling of an election like hacking and stealing info to influence the election and more just a criminal breaking of the law to influence the election.

I personally rank stealing / hacking as worse, but ignoring the law should be addressed and punished.

It wouldn't shock me if google and facebook just wanted that sweet ad revenue and ignored the law for it. But it wouldn't shock me if they were honestly were trying to influence the election too.

Honestly, the people who paid for the ads should be charged too, but that would look like culling the opposing party.

You rate stealing as a lesser crime then attempted subversion of the government? ( Which is what election tampering is by definition).

 

[CarlManvers2019]

…...

Ok at this point I think Google's execs are criminally stupid, this isn't like America where you will just have to pay a fine, or at most do a nickle in the clink if you really fucked up. This is Russia they can and do strait up murder people who Fuck with their internal stuff.

I....if some one in google dies from radiation poisoning Im not going to have any pity for them.

They’re European or “Western”, I think they’re used to most guys who are “Western” kowtowing to certain politics, even the businessmen and politicians of countries rather far away from what they’re used to

 

[Spartan303]

They've been meddling in American elections, so why shouldn't they do the same to other countries?

True. But that's always been the case though. Real Politik aside, the nature of the world we find ourselves in at 2019 ensures such companies and organizations have access to not just the American and or Russian electorate, but virtually everyone who practices any form of Democracy or electoral process that can be influenced by public opinion.

Internet is awesome like that. But also scary like that.

 

[Lightershoulders]

You rate stealing as a lesser crime then attempted subversion of the government? ( Which is what election tampering is by definition).

When put into the context I framed it as? Absolutely, because one is actual subversion of the government and the other is laughable.

They didn't hack anyone (stealing information), they didn't alter any ballots (stealing votes). That is what I meant by stealing / hacking.

They were a platform for advertising, advertising during a period that was illegal. If the government can be so easily subverted by a political ad, maybe they should be charging the people who paid for the ad?

And perhaps the law itself is stupid? Why so scared of your enemies campaigning against you?

Crying about this just makes Putin look like the tyrant people accuse him of being.