And the internet, you know, we thought
that it would be this place where...
where...you know,
it's wonderful in a lot of ways,
because a lot of different viewpoints
and a lot of different people have a voice,
like never before,
But unfortunately, it's provided a forum
where disinformation,
false theories,
people that are just trying
to make a name for themselves,
bloggers or whatever,
that have absolutely no accountability
for the truth
are able to rile up...
a mass amount of people online.
So, up until 2008,
the Kremlin left the internet alone,
and it became this incredible space
for social activism,
a very different discourse.
Since then, they've invested
a hell of a lot into astroturfing
and alternative internet.
You know, they're trying to find ways
of going into the internet
and spinning it from inside
without cutting it off.
So if the whole point of RT
and having all these trolls
is not to convince people,
but just to sort of show,
"Look how big we are. We can hire
troll farms. We have TV channels."
"We invade other countries
and we lie to you."
and that is all...
the point of it is the very brazenness,
so the psychological operation
is not convincing people,
but just to... you know, just to have...
impress,
signal...
just how big and fearless Russia is,
then it's worked really well.
