For cause-related groups, external and internal discreditation initiatives are better strategies than an "informant." (In some respects, an "informant" can be a GOOD THING.) External: false attribution, mischaracterization. Internal: breeding internal conflict by making you *think* you have an informant; getting people to advocate unpopular agendas, seeding disinterest and discord, yaddah-yaddah. The one thing you DON'T want to do is encourage individual vigilantism "unmasking" and unfounded paranoia. It is destructive, and _every_ consultant will tell you the same thing I am. Groups are encouraged to develop a STRUCTURED PNG-protocol, so as not to fall for psyop BS. Most of the work here came out of the experiences of civil rights groups in the 60s. I assume the meatspace crowd has a cointell protocol and keeps things in hand. *she says as she rolls her eyes at select individuals* Right now the government is busily hunting "art students." ~Aimee

[Note from Matthew Gaylor: Declan McCullagh is Wired News's Washington, DC Bureau Chief and is in Washington State testifying at the Jim Bell trial. Below is a message Declan sent to me concerning an invitation I sent to Freematt's Alerts and to a few other net mailing lists about the restart of Seattle cypherpunks meetings. The infiltration of political groups is nothing new going back as far as nations have had secret police forces. In the late 1980s and early 90s I served as a local Libertarian Party chairman in Ohio (Columbus). Several strange happenings made be suspicious of several people that were active in the party. Suspicious enough that it prompted me to file FOIA requests with the FBI. After the usual several year process I was declined info about spying on the Libertarian Party- But the FBI did confirm that by releasing the records they did have would have violated the privacy of a third party (The informant). And yes I think I know who it is and no I won't say because I can't be 100 percent sure. I have managed to unmask informants and out right agents, once at a machine gun shoot in Knob Creek, KY and once at another local civil rights organization. I'll be writing a more lengthy response to this.]

Mr. 6YeGpsZR+nOTh/cGwvITnSR3TdzclVpR0+pr3YYQdkG 7F5sYOSacEBhYOthmMajqjrXbEFeayL9k0nvy2Op 4ja6CgWweSZyFGYYZywMhffV8A6cZv0mLbhGTF1pE said: *grin*

"Unmasking" is always disruptive, because one can never distinguish between an infiltrator or provocateur, and someone who is just naturally a stupid asshole. However neither should we naively believe that everyone who proclaims he shares our values, actually does share our values.

I believe certain pros call that the "naturally stupid asshole" (NSA) problem. Choate and Sandy cracked me up, don't get mad, Mr. Donald. Your comments are valid, and yes, adversarial groups use the same tactics. :) ~Aimee