US Uncut reports:
Some of the biggest pro-Bernie Sanders groups on Facebook were briefly taken down Monday evening in a targeted attack by Hillary Clinton supporters.
The groups Bernie Sanders Activists, Bernie Believers, BERNIE OR BUST, Bernie Sanders Revolutionaries, Bay Area for Bernie, Bernie Sanders 2016 — Ideas Welcome, Bernie Sanders is my HERO, and Bernie Sanders for President 2016 were all taken down in the attack. The pages in question were reported to be down for about three hours, from 9 p.m. to midnight Monday night.
Collectively, these groups are home to more than a quarter million Bernie Sanders supporters, and some have been in existence for nearly a year, having been launched shortly after the Vermont senator declared his intent to run for president in 2015.
The groups were targeted by online trolls, who posted pornographic images and reported the groups to Facebook admins.
(Score: 5, Informative) by n1 on Wednesday April 27 2016, @01:09PM
I think the headline is pushing it, but the escalation is inevitable after the $1m super-pac social media campaign got an airing... but TFA does include some screen shots of facebook comment threads, including one showing that the Bernie Sanders group had been reported by the user and subsequently taken down, the user in question appears to be a rather a rather vocal Clinton supporter.
Snopes has also taken up the case http://www.snopes.com/2016/04/26/bernie-sanders-facebook-groups-controversy/ [snopes.com]
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Wednesday April 27 2016, @02:35PM
Looking at other articles on this "US Uncut" website makes it sound very conspiracy theory-y.
As soon as I saw the "BROS 4 HILLARY – #GiveEmHill", it is obvious they got trolled.
I am (or was, I suppose) a Bernie supporter and voted for him yesterday, but the Clinton people have done enough shady stuff in media and social media that there is no point in making up stuff without proper evidence.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2, Interesting) by nitehawk214 on Wednesday April 27 2016, @02:45PM
Well maybe not quite so obvious... Is BROS 4 HILLARY actually a real thing? Not trolling, not false flag, but actual insane cult followers of Hillary?
Its like they combined two of the things I hate the most, Bro culture and Social Justice.
At this point I think the only way the country can be saved is if the Clinton and Trump supporters actually start killing each other.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 3, Interesting) by n1 on Wednesday April 27 2016, @02:57PM
I don't use Facebook so i'm not really sure how to verify the credibility or authenticity of a group on the website.
That said, the story appears to have originally broke via Heavy.com, which contacted 'BROS 4 HILLARY' which is where the quote came from, distancing themselves from the actions of 'one former member' and the group apparently has several thousand members.
http://heavy.com/news/2016/04/bernie-sanders-facebook-groups-removed-banned-deleted-why-hillary-clinton-attack-censorship-which/ [heavy.com]
also: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/04/clintons-internet-supporters-allegedly-using-porno.html [pastemagazine.com]
The evidence is reasonably convincing to me at least, that a handful of Clinton supporters took it upon themselves to go above and beyond. That does not mean this was sanctioned by Clinton or any PAC associated with her. But to quote her "What difference does it make?" it's just a drop in the ocean of the psyops going on around this particular election.
Sorry, i didn't mean psyops, i meant engaging with the electorate.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 27 2016, @03:07PM
> Looking at other articles on this "US Uncut" website makes it sound very conspiracy theory-y.
Yeah, we need to stop accepting stories based on reports from that site.
Zero credibility.
They are like breitbart for bernie (and I like bernie over all the other candidates).
(Score: 3, Informative) by purple_cobra on Wednesday April 27 2016, @05:30PM
Reading all this reminded me of something I was forced to read in school, 'Antony and Cleopatra':
MENAS
These three world-sharers, these competitors,
Are in thy vessel: let me cut the cable;
And, when we are put off, fall to their throats:
All there is thine.
POMPEY
Ah, this thou shouldst have done,
And not have spoke on't! In me 'tis villany;
In thee't had been good service. Thou must know,
'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour;
Mine honour, it. Repent that e'er thy tongue
Hath so betray'd thine act: being done unknown,
I should have found it afterwards well done;
But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.
There's nothing new under the sun.