Topic: Social Media Manipulation

The hosts discuss the inherent manipulation of centralized social media platforms. They argue that microblogging is increasingly useless for making a real impact and suggest that independent blogs or Substack are better alternatives, despite Substack's own promotional algorithms.

An academic paper titled "Weaponizing the Haters" claims that negative buzz surrounding the film *Star Wars: The Last Jedi* was amplified by Russian trolls. The hosts dismiss the study, arguing that the film was simply poor in quality and that the media is using "Russian trolls" as a scapegoat for genuine fan disappointment.

Adam Curry suggests that the CIA's old radio-based deception tactics could be modernized using Facebook Live and smartphone footage. He posits that a well-executed "Wag the Dog" scenario involving fake reports of ISIS crossing the Texas border would likely be taken seriously by the public and media. The hosts note that major networks already rely heavily on unverified social media reports and tweets for breaking news.