Reuters Paid to Spread Disinformation

In a time when the line between national security and political manipulation grows ever thinner, it is imperative that Congress undertake a serious investigation into the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Active Social Engineering Defense (ASED) program.

The contract, awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC, officially claimed to develop tools for defending against cyber threats.

But upon closer scrutiny, the program’s true purpose may be far more insidious: rather than protecting against cyber threats, it appears more likely that Reuters’ technology was designed for offensive purposes, particularly to identify, track, and neutralize domestic and international opposition to the political establishment.

While Reuters insists there is a firm boundary between its journalistic endeavors and its defense contracting arm, that claim is as flimsy as it is convenient.

Money is fungible, and the tools developed for the Pentagon, particularly those designed to interact with adversaries in digital spaces, may have been weaponized against President Trump and conservative political movements in the United States.

Likewise, these tools could be deployed to interfere in the political affairs of foreign nations, undermining democracy under the guise of national security.

The contract in question was nominally intended to develop automated defenses against social engineering attacks, a well-documented cybersecurity threat.

Phishing schemes and online manipulation campaigns have long posed risks to both private corporations and government entities. But as is often the case, what begins as a defensive measure quickly becomes an offensive capability. The very same bots and artificial intelligence programs designed to detect and counteract deception could just as easily be repurposed to identify and suppress ideological adversaries.

One of the most concerning aspects of this project is its potential application in suppressing dissent.

Social media has become the primary battlefield for political discourse, and Reuters’ DOD-funded tools may have been deployed to control narratives, stifle alternative viewpoints, and manipulate the digital town square.

If the Pentagon, through its private contractors, has developed mechanisms for tracking and neutralizing opposition voices online, the implications for free speech are dire.

By engaging adversaries, wasting their time, and diverting their efforts, these tools serve as a form of digital attrition warfare, gradually eroding the ability of opposition figures to organize and influence public opinion.

Reuters, for its part, insists that its journalism and its defense contracting are completely separate. Yet such assurances ring hollow when one considers the broader history of intelligence agencies leveraging private corporations for covert influence operations.

The intelligence community has long relied on media partnerships to shape public perception, and the notion that Reuters’ military contracts would never influence its editorial stance is wishful thinking at best.

Moreover, the fungibility of money means that every dollar Reuters receives from its military contracting arm indirectly supports its journalistic endeavors.

Even if there is no direct editorial interference, the resources and infrastructure of the company benefit from this influx of government funding. This raises serious concerns: can a media organization that profits from military psyops contracts truly claim to be independent?

The timing of this contract is also suspicious. The Trump administration faced relentless opposition from the intelligence community and elements of the permanent bureaucracy, many of whom sought to undermine his presidency through leaks, investigations, and media-driven scandals.

If Reuters’ ASED tools were leveraged to monitor and suppress pro-Trump voices online, that would constitute one of the most egregious examples of election interference in American history.

Given the known efforts of intelligence agencies and tech companies to suppress the Hunter Biden laptop story and silence dissenting opinions on COVID-19 policies, it would be naïve to dismiss the possibility that Reuters’ technology was used in a similar manner.

Beyond domestic concerns, this program also raises red flags in the realm of international relations.

The United States has a long history of interfering in foreign elections and political movements under the pretext of "defending democracy".

Reuters’ technology, ostensibly designed to counter social engineering attacks, could easily be deployed to monitor and disrupt opposition groups in foreign countries.

Regimes that do not align with Washington’s interests could find themselves targeted by sophisticated digital campaigns aimed at undermining their influence and propping up more compliant governments.

This is not speculation; we have already seen similar tactics employed in the past.

During the Arab Spring, the U.S. government actively engaged in online operations to support certain factions while suppressing others.

In Ukraine, social media has played a pivotal role in shaping narratives around the conflict with Russia.

If Reuters’ technology has been integrated into these efforts, it represents a dangerous expansion of digital warfare capabilities—one that blurs the lines between cybersecurity and state-sponsored propaganda.

Given the stakes, Congress must act swiftly to demand transparency. Several key questions need to be answered:
  • What specific capabilities were developed under the ASED program?
  • Were these tools ever deployed against American citizens, particularly those with political views disfavored by the intelligence community?
  • Did Reuters’ military contracting arm share technology, personnel, or data with its journalism division?
  • Has this technology been used to interfere in the political processes of foreign nations?
  • What oversight mechanisms, if any, were in place to prevent abuses?
The American people deserve to know whether their tax dollars were used to fund a program that, rather than protecting national security, may have been weaponized against them.

If Reuters has aided the government in constructing tools of digital suppression, it is not merely a case of journalistic hypocrisy, it is a fundamental betrayal of the principles of a free and open society.

If left unchecked, these capabilities will only grow more sophisticated and more pervasive.

The combination of AI-driven deception detection, bot networks designed to engage adversaries, and the vast reach of social media creates a perfect storm for digital authoritarianism.

Today, the targets may be foreign dissidents or Trump supporters; tomorrow, they could be anyone who dares to challenge the prevailing orthodoxy.

This is not a partisan issue. It is a question of government accountability, corporate transparency, and the future of free speech in the digital age.

Congress must move beyond partisan theatrics and conduct a serious investigation into what exactly Reuters helped the DOD build, and whether those tools are now being used to silence political opposition under the guise of cybersecurity.
 
AProudLefty said:
Trying too hard. :rofl2:

It started under Trump Administration.

Cope and seethe harder.
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Hey dumbass, as usual you're a moron. Yes, that receipt did start in 2018, I'm sure there are many other's going back further. Either way, what you're not smart enough to understand is that this shit has been going on for a very long time but nobody has been able to trace all of this shit. Even Obama's crew supposedly tried to decipher the corruption in many departments but admitted it was too hard. Trump did quite well to stop some of the corruption his first time around but was slowed by constant attacks by the people that didn't want their gravy train interrupted, both Democrats and Republicans.

Why doesn't this piss you morons off. Aren't any of you smart enough to realize that all of your sources of clickbait stories were bought and paid for. Nearly every media outlet was on the take in exchange for keeping their mouths shut and attacking anyone that opposed the ones paying them. You've all been exploited and lied to for years. Apparently, you're fine with that like complete drones that have no ethical standards remaining. LOL
 
Tobytone said:
Hey dumbass, as usual you're a moron. Yes, that receipt did start in 2018, I'm sure there are many other's going back further. Either way, what you're not smart enough to understand is that this shit has been going on for a very long time but nobody has been able to trace all of this shit. Even Obama's crew supposedly tried to decipher the corruption in many departments but admitted it was too hard. Trump did quite well to stop some of the corruption his first time around but was slowed by constant attacks by the people that didn't want their gravy train interrupted, both Democrats and Republicans.

Why doesn't this piss you morons off. Aren't any of you smart enough to realize that all of your sources of clickbait stories were bought and paid for. Nearly every media outlet was on the take in exchange for keeping their mouths shut and attacking anyone that opposed the ones paying them. You've all been exploited and lied to for years. Apparently, you're fine with that like complete drones that have no ethical standards remaining. LOL
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Who said frauds and corruption don't piss me off?

Lying should piss you off.

At least you accept the fact that it was started under Trump.

The payment was for cyber defense.

Read this if you have an open mind.

www.the-independent.com

Trump demands ‘Radical Left Reuters’ return the $9 million that he first paid out

After Elon Musk first pushed a misleading claim about Reuters, the president raged about the global news agency returning a contract that was awarded under his first administration
www.the-independent.com www.the-independent.com
 
AProudLefty said:
Who said frauds and corruption don't piss me off?

Lying should piss you off.

At least you accept the fact that it was started under Trump.

The payment was for cyber defense.

Read this if you have an open mind.

www.the-independent.com

Trump demands ‘Radical Left Reuters’ return the $9 million that he first paid out

After Elon Musk first pushed a misleading claim about Reuters, the president raged about the global news agency returning a contract that was awarded under his first administration
www.the-independent.com www.the-independent.com
Click to expand...
I know I'm wasting my time with you, you're truly and idiot. Seriously did you comprehend what I just wrote? How did I lie by the way. You're so dumb that you would actually think that the DOD needed cyber defense to the tune of 5 million dollars from Reuters, makes perfect sense, no chance anything was going on there. LOL

The Department of Defense which has nearly a $900 billion budget and obviously has their own cyber defense supposedly needed to buy $5 million of defense from a company that's not known for it and does not list it as something they do. There is a long list of companies that specializes in cyber defense and would be far better choices, if in fact the DOD did not do their own which of course they do. Anyone like you that thinks this is legitimate is as dumb as you are.
 
Tobytone said:
I know I'm wasting my time with you, you're truly and idiot. Seriously did you comprehend what I just wrote? How did I lie by the way. You're so dumb that you would actually think that the DOD needed cyber defense to the tune of 5 million dollars from Reuters, makes perfect sense, no chance anything was going on there. LOL

The Department of Defense which has nearly a $900 billion budget and obviously has their own cyber defense supposedly needed to buy $5 million of defense from a company that's not known for it and does not list it as something they do. There is a long list of companies that specializes in cyber defense and would be far better choices, if in fact the DOD did not do their own which of course they do. Anyone like you that thinks this is legitimate is as dumb as you are.
Click to expand...
Did you forget that you admitted it started under Trump? And you called me an idiot?

Your support of Trump has blinded you. This is on him. You cannot get yourself out of it.

Read this if you have a stomach for it.


I repeat - This is on Trump.
 
Tobytone said:
I know I'm wasting my time with you, you're truly and idiot. Seriously did you comprehend what I just wrote? How did I lie by the way. You're so dumb that you would actually think that the DOD needed cyber defense to the tune of 5 million dollars from Reuters, makes perfect sense, no chance anything was going on there. LOL

The Department of Defense which has nearly a $900 billion budget and obviously has their own cyber defense supposedly needed to buy $5 million of defense from a company that's not known for it and does not list it as something they do. There is a long list of companies that specializes in cyber defense and would be far better choices, if in fact the DOD did not do their own which of course they do. Anyone like you that thinks this is legitimate is as dumb as you are.
Click to expand...
You got embarrassed! I love it.
 

US Defense Department contract "inaccurately represented" on social media, says Thomson Reuters​



Feb 13 (Reuters) - Thomson Reuters (TRI.TO), opens new tab said on Thursday its business with the Department of Defense was "inaccurately represented," in response to accusations on social media by Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump that the company played a role in "large scale social deception" for the government.
The contract, opens new tab in question was a four-year $9 million award, beginning in 2018 during Trump's first term and ending in 2022, between the U.S. Department of Defense and a division of the Toronto-based content and technology company called Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS). The contract was intended to protect the U.S. government from social engineering, which is a form of cyber threat in which people are tricked into divulging sensitive information.
 
AProudLefty said:
Did you forget that you admitted it started under Trump? And you called me an idiot?

Your support of Trump has blinded you. This is on him. You cannot get yourself out of it.

Read this if you have a stomach for it.


I repeat - This is on Trump.
Click to expand...
I give up, you're such a moron I just can't take it. I'm aware that this invoice start date was in 2018, I explained it to you in what I thought would be simple enough terms for you to understand. I was wrong you're such an idiot I have to spell it out tiny little bites at a time for you. Go back and read my comment again and maybe just maybe you'll understand what I was saying. You are hopelessly stupid and it's obvious you have no problem being lied to by your news sources. You wouldn't know the difference either way.

I might have to make you the 2nd person I've ever ignored only because you're even more of a simpleton than the other one I'm ignoring. I think he's one of your crushes, Dutchy Boy, the only problem is he prefers stained Trumpy bears and shit stain skid mark cutouts for part of his twisted pleasure games. LOL Maybe you're into that kind of thing, who knows what dumbasses like you do in private, I don't, and I don't want to know.
 
Tobytone said:
I give up, you're such a moron I just can't take it. I'm aware that this invoice start date was in 2018, I explained it to you in what I thought would be simple enough terms for you to understand. I was wrong you're such an idiot I have to spell it out tiny little bites at a time for you. Go back and read my comment again and maybe just maybe you'll understand what I was saying. You are hopelessly stupid and it's obvious you have no problem being lied to by your news sources. You wouldn't know the difference either way.

I might have to make you the 2nd person I've ever ignored only because you're even more of a simpleton than the other one I'm ignoring. I think he's one of your crushes, Dutchy Boy, the only problem is he prefers stained Trumpy bears and shit stain skid mark cutouts for part of his twisted pleasure games. LOL Maybe you're into that kind of thing, who knows what dumbasses like you do in private, I don't, and I don't want to know.
Click to expand...
Did you read this?


Elon is mistaken. It's that simple.
 
Tobytone said:
Paste it in your comment, I don't support clickbait stories that exploit all of you morons, every time I do I get hit with a dozen pop ups and shady ads. If there's something devastating, I'd love to see it if you'd be so kind to show me this important revelation.
Click to expand...
The contract, opens new tab in question was a four-year $9 million award, beginning in 2018 during Trump's first term and ending in 2022, between the U.S. Department of Defense and a division of the Toronto-based content and technology company called Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS). The contract was intended to protect the U.S. government from social engineering, which is a form of cyber threat in which people are tricked into divulging sensitive information.

"TRSS has provided software and information services to U.S. government agencies across successive administrations for decades, to assist in identifying and preventing fraud, supporting public safety, and advancing justice," Steve Rubley, CEO of Thomson Reuters Special Services, said in a statement in response to questions about the nature of the defense department contract.

DARPA described the ASED program on its website as one that "aims to develop the core technology to enable the capability to automatically identify, disrupt, and investigate social engineering attacks."

More at https://archive.ph/AMloN
 
AProudLefty said:
The contract, opens new tab in question was a four-year $9 million award, beginning in 2018 during Trump's first term and ending in 2022, between the U.S. Department of Defense and a division of the Toronto-based content and technology company called Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS). The contract was intended to protect the U.S. government from social engineering, which is a form of cyber threat in which people are tricked into divulging sensitive information.

"TRSS has provided software and information services to U.S. government agencies across successive administrations for decades, to assist in identifying and preventing fraud, supporting public safety, and advancing justice," Steve Rubley, CEO of Thomson Reuters Special Services, said in a statement in response to questions about the nature of the defense department contract.

DARPA described the ASED program on its website as one that "aims to develop the core technology to enable the capability to automatically identify, disrupt, and investigate social engineering attacks."

More at https://archive.ph/AMloN
Click to expand...
Wow, it's beyond pathetic, it's downright criminal. We've wasted 9 million dollars on Thomson Reuters Special Services to muzzle anything the left finds disagreeable. You're not just a fool, you're a traitor to free speech. For starters, this 'invaluable' service isn't offered to any other companies - surprise, surprise! If I were to throw away 9 million dollars, I'd demand proof they could even tie their own shoes, let alone censor effectively. But what are they even good at? Shutting down the truth?

They pretend to fight misinformation by possibly intercepting 'incorrect' social media posts before they reach the drooling idiots who can't distinguish propaganda from reality. (As if they'd ever dare to challenge the constant stream of lies from the left-wing media.) lol.

I could go on, but what's the point? You're too brainwashed to comprehend. Musk didn't say anything but the gospel truth, yet you're too dense, too much of a braindead sheep to see it. The company that pocketed this bribe claims they're doing some 'valuable service', and that's all it takes for a simpleton like you to nod along. Absolute dumbass. Do you expect them or the left-wing media to confess, 'Oh, you caught us red-handed, here's your money back, we'll stop screwing America'? LOL, this is beyond satire, it's a national disgrace.

Here's the brutal truth, you morons need to choke on: the free ride is over. Your cherished left-wing propaganda mills are going to crumble without our tax dollars to prop them up. There simply aren't enough brainless drones clicking on their click-bait to fund their lavish lifestyles and overpriced palaces. They've been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

And isn't it just hilarious that Fox News or any right-wing publication isn't seeing a dime of this cash? Guess they don't kiss the right asses, huh?
 
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