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Deutsch: Aserbaidschan: Dissidenten mit neuen Internet-Tools ausgeforscht

As freedom activists have increased their activity on Facebook, the Azeri government has also increased its attention and surveillance of social networks. According to Azadliq newspaper, for instance, in June 2010, pro-government youth were encouraged to join Facebook with the purpose to expose those with online links to contacts in "enemy" nations.

According to the international hacking group Anonymous, Virginia-based consulting company Booz Allen Hamilton is developing software that is used against dissidents in several countries, including Azerbaijan. The group, which claims it holds documents and e-mails to prove its allegations, states the respective software, which has led to the arrest of pro-democracy dissidents in Azerbaijan, creates "armies of fake people" through social networks like Facebook, identifying dissidents with anonymous profiles.

"We know the U.S. Air Force and the Pentagon asked for it, we do know that Booz Allen and Aaron Barr (of HBGary) bid for the contract, we've got confirmation from Booz Allen themselves that the software exists" stated one member of Anonymous.

The software has at its basis a proposal from the Office of Air Mobility Command of the U.S. Air Force, asking for 50 user licenses for software that would allow 10 personas per user. The US Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US armed operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, has contracted such software. The contract stipulates that each fake online persona must have a convincing background, history and supporting details, and that the 50 US-based controllers should be able to operate false identities from their workstations "without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries".

"The technology supports classified blogging activities on foreign-language websites to enable Centcom to counter violent extremist and enemy propaganda outside the US," stated Centcom spokesman Commander Bill Speaks who added that the interventions would not be in English but in Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and Pashto. Further, the project was not targeting any US-based web sites, in English or any other language, and most specifically, was not targeting Facebook or Twitter.

Whether Anonymous' allegations related to software used to track down dissidents in various countries is true or not, the fact that the US military is developing false online personalities is extremely disturbing and could create a dangerous precedent. Other governments, private companies and non-government organisations might wish to do the same. And, while in the US persona management is illegal, there are other countries where such procedures might not be forbidden by the law.

Azerbaijan: Anonymous says Big Brother might be watching you (19.03.2011)
http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2011/03/19/azerbaijan-anonymous...

Anonymous To Release Documents Showing 'Virtual Armies' Used To Identify Dissidents (16.03.2011)
http://blogs.forbes.com/parmyolson/2011/03/16/anonymous-to-release-doc...

Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media (17.03.2011)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-soci...