Submission + - GNAA Demonstrates Research Failures in Mainstream Media (dailymail.co.uk)
InspectorH writes: Operatives of Internet research and security firm GNAA (http://gnaa.eu), have successfully demonstrated a lack of journalistic integrity in two mainstream media outlets, InfoWars, and the UK's Daily Mail.
The experiment began when several GNAA operatives, along with a handful of non-GNAA affiliates began posting tweets with the hashtag "#SandyLootCrew" on known "troll" accounts, along with pictures of personally owned items, claimed to be ill-gained.
First to report on it was the Alex Jones owned website, InfoWars (http://www.infowars.com/shameless-looters-display-stolen-goods-on-twitter/). Alex Jones, frequently criticized for his conspiratorial tone insisted on the correctness of his report, even after reports began to surface of GNAA involvement, as he noted in his video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n54tP2YjbcE
While obvious to many onlookers that this was a highly coordinated trolling operation, and given the standards exhibited by InfoWars, British media outlet, the Daily Mail also decided to run the story, with little regard for basic fact checking: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225663/Even-momma-got-outta-house-loot-new-shirt-Looters-brag-Twitter-stealing-flood-hit-stores.html
In addition to these media requests, several members of the 'hacktivist collective' Anonymous also engaged the GNAA, attempting to have their accounts suspended by Twitter.
While several GNAA and GNAA-affiliated accounts were suspended, they were all back, up and running within 24 hours of suspension.
The GNAA has issued a press statement regarding this experiment, which can be read here: http://www.gnaa.eu/wiki/pr/2012-11-01-gnaa-sandy
The experiment began when several GNAA operatives, along with a handful of non-GNAA affiliates began posting tweets with the hashtag "#SandyLootCrew" on known "troll" accounts, along with pictures of personally owned items, claimed to be ill-gained.
First to report on it was the Alex Jones owned website, InfoWars (http://www.infowars.com/shameless-looters-display-stolen-goods-on-twitter/). Alex Jones, frequently criticized for his conspiratorial tone insisted on the correctness of his report, even after reports began to surface of GNAA involvement, as he noted in his video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n54tP2YjbcE
While obvious to many onlookers that this was a highly coordinated trolling operation, and given the standards exhibited by InfoWars, British media outlet, the Daily Mail also decided to run the story, with little regard for basic fact checking: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225663/Even-momma-got-outta-house-loot-new-shirt-Looters-brag-Twitter-stealing-flood-hit-stores.html
In addition to these media requests, several members of the 'hacktivist collective' Anonymous also engaged the GNAA, attempting to have their accounts suspended by Twitter.
While several GNAA and GNAA-affiliated accounts were suspended, they were all back, up and running within 24 hours of suspension.
The GNAA has issued a press statement regarding this experiment, which can be read here: http://www.gnaa.eu/wiki/pr/2012-11-01-gnaa-sandy
