[dangero]

I've suspected for a while that the NSA has some kind of software like google alerts that monitors the top 1000 relevant sites and detects when they are being talked about so they can turn the discussion. We know from Snowden leaks that they are attempting to influence public opinion online, so that seems like how I would do it. Also I've noticed that previous threads like this are particularly full of naysayers.

[ianstallings]

Your opinion doesn't matter I thought they made that clear.

[junto]

I think that both your arguments are true.

Whilst our opinions are indeed irrelevant, they still try and influence the discussion.

Why? Because the military-industrial complex has invested vast amounts of public money in technology, contractors and employees to allow them to do just that.

Companies like Booz Allen Hamilton are making buckets of cash selling the government this kind of tech and the contract staff to go with it.

The government buyers are being taken on jollies in the Caribbean and receiving nice kickbacks for authorising the public purse. Next year both parties plan on increasing the budget. And so the merry dance goes on getting bigger and bigger every year.