Thread by @frodofied

1/ To #TheResistance,

Russian deployed bots have proven to be one of the most challenging and menacing problems across the whole of social media.

They are also the effective tool in Russia's counter-democratic aresenal.

I consider them enemy number one to #TheResistance.

2/ And while many of us have become rather adept at identifying them during real-time interactions, the truth is there is no way to identify them with certainty on the fly.

Bots are software applications that run simple, repetitive scripts which each carry out a specific task.

Such tasks include posting and retweeting fake news stories to as many accounts as possible to ensure the highest level of saturation.

More complicated programs can assume self-created personas who, through the use of databases & keyword searches find individuals to then troll.

4/ If you were active on social media during the 2015 - 2016 election cycle then it's nearly certain that you engaged with bots. It's almost equally certain that you did so in a way that helped them fullfil their mission.

All of us did.

5/ These bots are deployed to spread misinformation, create chaos where there was none, create tension between differing factions of the opposition, and to undermine the credibility of anyone identified as useful to #TheResistance.

.

6/ They are very good at what they do, and they are getting better.

We will probably never know the full extent to which bots impacted the 2016 US Election, but it's safe to say that they played a pivotal role in a number of keys areas.

The 2018 offensive has already begun.

7/ There are probably several hundred thousand bots already deployed with many, many more to follow in the weeks and months ahead.

We cannot allow narratives to be altered, or negative news cycles regarding this regime to be deflected from this cycle.

We just can't.

8/ While mistakes will be made, we must do everything we can as individuals and a collective movement to limit the damage these bots will inflict in 2018, including,

1/ Assume any unknown account that initiates an adversarial interaction with you to be a bot. Period.

9/

2/ Treat every article, rumor, piece of information, and general communications with unknown accounts as suspect fake news.

Avoid sharing ANY unsubstantiated story from such sources, but if you do, make it your responsibility to read the full content of any link.

10/ We often share items based on the headline alone, but headlines are not always reflective of the true content. Know what you're sharing. Those who follow you trust you to pass on the most accurate information available. Don't let them down.

11/ If the item is controversial or questionable try to independently verify the sources of the information or attempt to find a second independent source reporting the same. If you are unable to do any of this, either send the info along to someone you respect to get their input

12/ Or set it aside until you can. We must be careful to not give these misinformation campaigns anymore strength than they naturally have.

If you think you've identified a false claim, then inform as many people as you can & file it away as fake news.

Do not share it publicly.

13/ Engaging in fruitless circular debates with members of the opposition, while entertaining, in the end often serve no useful purpose. These interactions often lead to flared tempers, personal attacks, and specious claims being made on both sides.

14/ Unless you're a seasoned veteran in this regard, it is almost always best to limit the time you devote such activities. And always remember these are public conversations, that could be seen by members of your family, people you respect and admire, and your employer.

15/ Be mindful also that if you identify as a member of #TheResistance then what you say, how you act and interact, reflects on your fellow resistors.

The fact of the matter is we simply do not have the option to make the kinds of errors in 2018 that we did in 2015 and 2016.

16/ We simply can't fail.

We must somehow find a way to be both more aggressive and more disciplined.

Identify your strong points now and utilize them to maximum effect for the benefit of #TheResistance.

There's much work ahead and enough for everyone.

17/ It's also essential that we try to question our own personally identified limitations. If you think you would be bad at phone banking make yourself phone bank, get good at it.

Get your hands dirty, get your feet wet, make a difference.

18/ What's ahead is going to require all of us to do as much as we can. We want every single possible seat in both houses of Congress that we can possibly win. Period. The special elections that have taken place at proving anything it's that almost no state is out of our grasp.

19/ One of the most important ways you can help is to minister to your flock, be Evangelical about this movement. Change as many hearts as you can, recruit as many hands as you are able.

Remind everyone of what's at stake constantly even when they roll their eyes in exasperation

20/ And finally, and this is something I need to work on myself, remember self-care. Take care of you. Make sure that your physical and your mental health are being cared for in as thorough a way as possible. It also important to remember those you love.

21/ Don't let them associate the resistance with something negative, like you not being there enough, that is counterproductive.

Right now it might seem like we have the wind at our backs but Russia has yet to go full throttle and the Republicans are good at attack.

22/ If we take a single thing or a single voter or granted we will lose.

So let's not do that.

#YouAreTheResistance
#Resist
#EndTheRegime
#BlueWave2018