Insight On: Astroturfing e Manipolazione Digitale: Reti Ibride Russi, Indiani e Italiani tra Yoga, Telegram e Facebook (2016–2022)Vittime di Cyber Violenza

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🇮🇹🇬🇧 Insight on: Astroturfing and Digital Manipulation: Russian, Indian and Italian Hybrid Networks between Yoga, Telegram and Facebook (2016–2022)Victims of Cyber Violence

For four years, between 2016 and 2020, some hybrid networks behaved as if they were friends. Only two or three elements, apparently unrelated to these networks, showed negative behavior.

Since May 2020, taking advantage of the pandemic that paralyzed cities and forced everyone to stay indoors, the same profiles have changed their attitude. They became violent, began to practice laming, cyberbullying and other forms of digital aggression.

To do this, they used technical tools: scripts in Java, C++ and Kotlin, structured in JSON format, which interacted with the Telegram database. Telegram uses a NoSQL Cassandra system, a distributed database that allows you to manage large amounts of data in a scalable way. These scripts were exploited to manipulate logs, bypass my ISP's controls, and make tracking difficult.

I tried to protect myself with a VPN, but it wasn't enough. Even after exiting all Telegram groups, the networks continued to operate. They sent mixed people: Indians, Italians and other foreigners (Iranians, Afghans, some post-graduates from the University of Pavia) who showed up in my vicinity to talk to me.

Most of them disappeared from the city shortly after. Some have stayed, with the clear aim of delegitimizing me. What I have discovered, in fact, risks disturbing their propaganda plans.

Pavlovian techniques: conditioning and manipulation

- Origin: Ivan Pavlov demonstrated that a behavior can be conditioned by associating a neutral stimulus (e.g. a sound) with an automatic response (dog salivation).

- Manipulative application: In social or digital contexts, this results in alternating positive and negative reinforcements. First you offer friendship, approval or "love bombing", then you inflict a psychological "slap" (criticism, isolation, ridicule).

- Effect: The victim learns to depend on the manipulator for approval, and fears punishment or humiliation if they do not comply.

Gaslighting: distortion of reality

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that leads the victim to doubt their memory, perception, and judgment.

- Common techniques: systematic denial ("It never happened"), minimization ("You're too sensitive"), reversal of responsibility ("The problem is you").

- Effects: constant confusion, reduced self-esteem, emotional dependence on the manipulator, anxiety and guilt.

Psychological humiliation

- Strategy: ridicule emotions, devalue skills, isolate the victim by insinuating that friends and family do not understand them. E.g. "No one believes you", "You're sick", "It's your perception", "Don't tell around or they will think badly of you" etc.

- Objective: to demolish identity and personal trust, making the victim more vulnerable and controllable, demoralizing and isolating him.

Techniques widely used by mafias and international criminals.

- Documented effects: anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, decision-making difficulties and in some cases symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Interaction between Pavlovian and gaslighting

- Manipulative cycle:

1. Pavlovian conditioning → alternation of rewards and punishments.

2. Gaslighting → distortion of reality and denial of perceptions.

3. Public or private humiliation → devaluation, which reinforces dependence.

- Result: the victim enters a spiral of self-devaluation and dependence, where every choice seems risky and every perception is questioned.

For four years, between 2016 and 2020, some hybrid networks behaved as if they were friends. Only two or three elements, apparently unrelated to these networks, showed negative behavior.

Since May 2020, taking advantage of the pandemic that paralyzed cities and forced everyone to stay indoors, the same profiles have changed their attitude. They became violent, began to practice laming, cyberbullying and other forms of digital aggression.

To do this, they used technical tools: scripts in Java, C++ and Kotlin, structured in JSON format, which interacted with the Telegram database. Telegram uses a NoSQL Cassandra system, a distributed database that allows you to manage large amounts of data in a scalable way. These scripts were exploited to manipulate logs, bypass my ISP's controls, and make tracking difficult.

I tried to protect myself with a VPN, but it wasn't enough. Even after exiting all Telegram groups, the networks continued to operate. They sent mixed people: Indians, Italians and other foreigners (Iranians, Afghans, some post-graduates from the University of Pavia) who showed up in my vicinity to talk to me.

Most of them disappeared from the city shortly after. Some have stayed, with the clear aim of delegitimizing me. What I have discovered, in fact, risks disturbing their propaganda plans.

Pavlovian techniques: conditioning and manipulation

- Origin: Ivan Pavlov demonstrated that a behavior can be conditioned by associating a neutral stimulus (e.g. a sound) with an automatic response (dog salivation).

- Manipulative application: In social or digital contexts, this results in alternating positive and negative reinforcements. First you offer friendship, approval or "love bombing", then you inflict a psychological "slap" (criticism, isolation, ridicule).

- Effetto: la vittima impara a dipendere dal manipolatore per ricevere approvazione, e teme la punizione o l’umiliazione se non si conforma.  

 Gaslighting: distorsione della realtà

Il gaslighting è una forma di manipolazione psicologica che porta la vittima a dubitare della propria memoria, percezione e giudizio.  

- Tecniche comuni: negazione sistematica (“Non è mai successo”), minimizzazione (“Sei troppo sensibile”), inversione delle responsabilità (“Il problema sei tu”).  

- Effetti: confusione costante, riduzione dell’autostima, dipendenza emotiva dal manipolatore, ansia e senso di colpa.  

 Umiliazione psicologica

- Strategia: ridicolizzare le emozioni, svalutare le competenze, isolare la vittima insinuando che amici e familiari non la capiscano.  Es. "Nessuno ti crede", "Sei malato/a", "È una tua percezione", "Non dirlo in giro o penseranno male di te" etc. 

- Obiettivo: demolire l’identità e la fiducia personale, rendendo la vittima più vulnerabile e controllabile, demoralizzarla e isolarla. 

Tecniche usatissime da mafie e da criminali internazionali. 

- Effetti documentati: ansia, depressione, ritiro sociale, difficoltà decisionali e in alcuni casi sintomi di Disturbo da Stress Post-Traumatico.  

 Interazione tra pavloviano e gaslighting

- Ciclo manipolativo:  

  1. Condizionamento pavloviano → alternanza di premi e punizioni.  

  2. Gaslighting → distorsione della realtà e negazione delle percezioni.  

  3. Umiliazione → svalutazione pubblica o privata, che rafforza la dipendenza.  

- Risultato: la vittima entra in una spirale di autosvalutazione e dipendenza, dove ogni scelta sembra rischiosa e ogni percezione viene messa in dubbio.  

 Fonti principali

- Psicologi Italia – Gaslighting: capire la manipolazione invisibile  

- IPSICO Firenze – Manipolazione psicologica e gaslighting  

- Brucofalla – Gaslighting: tattiche ed effetti sulla salute  

- Veb.it – Effetti del gaslighting su autostima e fiducia  

- Psica.eu – Gaslighting e manipolazione psicologica  

🇬🇧 Insight On: Astroturfing and Digital Manipulation: Hybrid Russian, Indian and Italian Networks across Yoga, Telegram and Facebook (2016–2022) Cyber Violence Victims

For four years, between 2016 and 2020, some hybrid networks behaved as if they were friends. Only two or three elements, apparently disconnected from these networks, showed negative behavior.  

From May 2020 onwards, taking advantage of the pandemic that paralyzed cities and kept everyone locked at home, the same profiles changed their attitude. They became violent, engaging in laming, cyberbullying, and other forms of digital aggression.  

To do this, they used technical tools: Java, C++ and Kotlin scripts, structured in JSON, interacting with Telegram’s database. Telegram relies on a NoSQL Cassandra system, a distributed database designed to handle massive amounts of data. These scripts were exploited to manipulate logs, bypass ISP controls, and make tracking extremely difficult.  

I tried to protect myself with a VPN, but it was useless. Even after leaving all the Telegram groups, the networks continued their operations. They sent mixed groups of people: Indians, Italians, and other foreigners (Iranians, Afghans, some post-graduates from the University of Pavia) who appeared near me to talk.  

Most of them disappeared from the city shortly afterwards. Some remained, with the clear purpose of delegitimizing me. What I discovered, in fact, could interfere with their propaganda plans.  

Pavlovian Techniques: Conditioning and Manipulation

- Origin: Ivan Pavlov demonstrated that behavior can be conditioned by associating a neutral stimulus (for example, a sound) with an automatic response (the dog’s salivation).  

- Manipulative application: in social or digital contexts, this translates into alternating positive and negative reinforcements. First, friendship, approval, or “love bombing” is offered, then a psychological “slap” is inflicted (criticism, isolation, ridicule).  

- Effect: the victim learns to depend on the manipulator for approval and fears punishment or humiliation if they do not conform.  

 Gaslighting: Distortion of Reality

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that leads the victim to doubt their own memory, perception, and judgment.  

- Common techniques: systematic denial (“It never happened”), minimization (“You’re too sensitive”), reversal of responsibility (“The problem is you”).  

- Effects: constant confusion, reduced self-esteem, emotional dependence on the manipulator, anxiety, and guilt.  

 Psychological humiliation

- Strategy: ridicule emotions, devalue skills, isolate the victim by insinuating that friends and family do not understand them. E.g. "No one believes you", "You're sick", "It's your perception", "Don't tell around or they will think badly of you" etc. 

- Objective: to demolish identity and personal trust, making the victim more vulnerable and controllable, demoralizing and isolating him. 

Techniques widely used by mafias and international criminals. 

Interaction Between Pavlovian Conditioning and Gaslighting

- Manipulative cycle:  

  1. Pavlovian conditioning → alternation of rewards and punishments.  

  2. Gaslighting → distortion of reality and denial of perceptions.  

  3. Humiliation → public or private devaluation, reinforcing dependence.  

- Result: the victim enters a spiral of self-devaluation and dependence, where every choice seems risky and every perception is put into doubt.  

 Main Sources

- Psychologists Italy – Gaslighting: understanding invisible manipulation

- IPSICO Firenze – Psychological manipulation and gaslighting

- Brucofalla – Gaslighting: tactics and effects on health  

- Veb.it – Effects of gaslighting on self-esteem and trust  

- Psica.eu – Gaslighting and psychological manipulation  

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