PsyOps

Psychological Operations (PSYOP, PSYOPS) are techniques used to influence a target audience's emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and behavior. The target audience is usually the userbase of a target website, and PsyOps are used in order to induce confessions, or reinforce attitudes and behaviors favorable to the objectives at hand. These are sometimes combined with black operations.

This concept has been used by military institutions throughout history. /i/'s first concerted attempt at PsyOps was during the Longcat Crusade, where it was used to enormous and advantageous effect--turning a large part of the Subeta userbase against the admins and Owner. Psyops are usually employed in LARGE raids, that require the decimation of an entire population of forumgoers and the breakdown of admin-user relations.

Psyops must be willing to (at least temporarily) become the thing they hate. They must embed themselves into the organizational structure of a site and agree. agree with everything. However, the psyop's skill comes in they way he phrases his agreement. Consider this: The site owner says something along the lines of, "So, these eBaums fags are really assholes." The user will say, "Yeah! I hate them!!!" The PsyOp says, "They are! But we shouldn't call them fags...that's intolerant."

The difference is subtle, but meaningful. You have agreed with the admins, but you have also pointed out that the admins are intolerant. As you post more, the more dissent you can spread... while completely agreeing and following the TOS and/or EULA.

BONUS LEVEL: 419eater is a site where some good-doers want you to troll Nigerian scammers to distract them, which can get some lulz and you can fuck with them all you want. By going through multiple scambaitings, any /i/nsurgent will become a master at the fine and subtle art of PsyOps.

Techniques to master

If you plan to converse/debate with targets read the following and make sure you know how they work MASTER THEM!.

Bootcamp Version

For Newfags

• [1] DisInformation (False sources)
• [2] Scapegoat (blame it on someone else)
• [3] Proof by assertion (they love dis)
• [4] Appeal to emotion (basic foundations for psyops)
• [5] Misrepresenting a position
• [6] Pick your wordz wisely

Also familiarize yourself with these methods and their consequences:

• [7] Black Propaganda
• [8] Grey Propaganda
• [9] White Propaganda (Do it for the lulz)

For pros

These are much longer and more difficult to understand. So make sure you re-read and master.

• [10] Ad Hominem (basic way they use to attack)
• [11] False Dilemma (limiting your choices)
• [12] Red Herring (going off topic)
• [13] Half truth
• [14] Reductio ad Hitlerum

University Psyops

Just read and memorize every technique at the bottom of this page, an you'll do just fine.

The Page.

Protips

• if you need to lie (which you shouldn't because we seem to be 'in the clear') make sure your lies are around 90% truth and only 10% lie. This makes it much harder to disprove, and if the subject decides to research on their own, they will find the truth then see your argument as creditable. If they find anything disproving, also this adds reasoning that the person, merely miscommunicated rather then lie directly to the target.

• People generally will generally convince themselves when it comes to falshoods, the best thing to do is provide the groundwork and let their minds work against them. (someonewhat stated above)

• Details are the absolute most important thing there is. Several small things are infinitely more likely to pass you off as a true member of the community than a huge red fucking banner on your myspace proclaiming 'I HEART YIFF' or whatever applies. Once again, people generally convince themselves far more effectively than anyone else ever could. All you have to do is lay the path and put the rose petals down.

• At the same time, too much detail is a bad thing. If a new user demonstrates encyclopaedic knowledge of the target community, people will become suspicious.

• If you need a guide on how to troll through arguments, and need more help on the argument itself, see Forum Trolling.

Keeping the conversation going

I'm no expert PsyOp, but this is one major hole in my learning. I went straight into practical stuff, and with a one on one conversation with people - I continue to run out of things to say, can someone maybe write up a decent article on this? Prease?

Sounds like a good idea, anyone got any ideas to help?

see also

• Social Engineering