IndyNews is No Longer Hitchhiked by the Ultra-Right – Part 2

The Anatomy of a Hijacked News Portal: How Ultra-Right Operatives Weaponized IndyNews.org

Read Part 1 of our Article on the remarkeable domain history of IndyNews.org here

The story of IndyNews.org isn’t just a case of a domain’s political identity being stolen. It’s a blueprint for how disinformation campaigns are executed with precision and subtlety, targeting specific groups to shift public opinion. This second part looks into the actual mechanisms that operatives like Cambridge Analytica, Steve Bannon’s Breitbart News, and similiar platforms employed. We’ll explore how sites like IndyNews.org were transformed into potent tools of influence, and how their sophisticated methods managed to manipulate perceptions in ways that were not immediately obvious.

Crafting the Trojan Horse: How Content was Engineered to Manipulate

When Breitbart News and its operatives took over IndyNews.org, the playbook wasn’t as simple as churning out sensationalist headlines. The content was meticulously crafted to serve a dual purpose: attract a mixed audience while simultaneously injecting misleading narratives.

For instance, an article like “Why Hedge Funds Are Warming Up to Crypto” (backlinked from over 100 domains, according to SEMrush) wouldn’t initially set off alarm bells. But within, readers would encounter subtle insinuations against Democrats, implying that crypto investments were under siege by the ‘liberal elite’ who wanted to stifle financial independence. The outcome? Distrust among financially-minded readers, who then began associating left-leaning policies with anti-growth ideologies.

This kind of linguistic gymnastics was prevalent throughout the content produced. Headlines like “BLM Activist Says She Got Her Molotov Cocktail from a Black Man But Investigators Say It Came from Her White Buddy in Upstate New York” played into racial stereotypes, sowing division between demographic groups, and framing activists in a negative light. The article’s deeper strategy, however, was more insidious: weaponizing cultural issues to create a rift between potential voters.

Targeting the Misinformed: Profiles of the ‘Ideal’ Reader

From access logs and archival research, we can map out who the ideal target audience was for these articles. Many pieces were designed for poorly educated, conservative-leaning individuals susceptible to confirmation bias. One clear example is an article titled “Woke Walmart is Pushing Critical Race Theory – Is the U.S. a White Supremacy System?”. On the surface, this appeared to be a critique of corporate virtue signaling. But the semantic structure was calibrated to sow distrust, not only in progressive narratives but also in minority communities.

Through terms like “Woke Walmart” and references to “White Supremacy Systems,” it used associative language to make its predominantly low-education audience see an inherent contradiction between supporting minorities and buying into these companies. Ultimately, this eroded the alignment between Black and Hispanic communities and the Democratic party — a tactic we see in other disinformation operations like the infamous Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA).

The Art of Targeting: Examples of Cambridge Analytica’s Methods

Cambridge Analytica’s fingerprints are evident in the targeting techniques used on IndyNews.org. One tactic, for example, was the use of psychographic profiling to develop articles that would trigger emotional responses. Cambridge Analytica used surveys, social media data, and browsing habits to break down voter bases into psychological profiles, such as “Conscientious Conservatives” or “Angry Liberals.” They then crafted headlines and content to provoke fear or anger, knowing that these emotions drive engagement.

Let’s break down an example:

• Article Title: “Massive Grassroots Victory in Newsom Recall – Less Than 50 Names Rescinded (Video)”
• Objective: Influence undecided or lightly partisan voters who might sway right.
• Tactic: Present a factual-sounding narrative (using terms like “grassroots” to imply authenticity), while subtly casting doubt on the integrity of the democratic process. The target was not to outright convince but to sow uncertainty about the recall’s fairness.

Another article, “Kamala Harris Hilariously Targeted After Tweeting?,” utilized humor to undermine a political figure’s credibility. Cambridge Analytica knew that humor and ridicule reduce the perceived competence of the target, making it harder for audiences to take their policy positions seriously. It’s the same reason satire has been historically powerful — it’s not just about being funny, but about making serious ideas seem less legitimate.

Disinformation in Action: Analyzing IndyNews’s Backlinks

The remnants of IndyNews’s chaotic political history can be found in its backlink profile. Out of over 1,000 backlinks, a significant portion still points to content that once amplified right-wing ideologies. According to SEMrush data, high-authority backlinks include domains that were either directly linked to Breitbart’s network or shared ideological proximity.

• Example 1: Backlink from conservativenews.org to “Peter Schweizer: The Biden Campaign is Hiding Kamala Harris. Here’s Why.”This backlink was placed strategically in an article discussing Schweizer’s book, which purports to expose corruption in the Biden campaign. The traffic this link generated helped legitimize a narrative built on assumptions and unverified sources, making it seem credible to readers unfamiliar with Schweizer’s history of speculative writing.
  
• Example 2: Backlink from patriotwatch.org to “Judge Rules Voter Group Can Unseal Fulton County Ballots.”The content here played into a larger narrative that the 2020 election was stolen — an enduring conspiracy theory that fed directly into the January 6th Capitol riot. The point wasn’t to provide evidence; it was to seed doubt. By funneling traffic through these sites, they amplified the reach of this disinformation.

The Broader Landscape: Other Websites Exploited for Disinformation

IndyNews.org was far from the only website caught in the web of disinformation campaigns orchestrated by ultra-right operatives. Several other once-reputable platforms were similarly hijacked and weaponized for political gain. Some notable examples include:

• The Gateway Pundit: Known for promoting conspiracy theories and sensationalist headlines, it became a key player in spreading misinformation around the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
• Western Journal: Originally focused on conservative commentary, it was later exploited for hyper-partisan content aimed at fueling division.
• Natural News: While initially positioned as an alternative health site, it was co-opted to push political conspiracy theories, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• LifeZette: Founded by Laura Ingraham, this site was frequently cited by far-right operatives and used to disseminate misleading content.
• Infowars: Perhaps the most infamous example, Infowars’ descent into alt-right propaganda showcases the depths to which such platforms can be manipulated.

These platforms, much like IndyNews.org, were used as vehicles to manipulate public opinion by targeting specific demographics with disinformation disguised as legitimate news. By exploiting the trust these sites had built within their original communities, the operators behind them were able to push far-reaching and damaging narratives.

A New Chapter for IndyNews.org

Now under new stewardship, IndyNews.org is reclaiming its position as a genuinely independent platform. Unlike its past manipulation, the magazine will strive to serve as a democratic and libertarian voice — inspired by European anarchist ideals that prioritize freedom, autonomy, and social justice. No longer a pawn in disinformation campaigns, IndyNews.org will be a space where critical perspectives can thrive, free from corporate or political agendas.

As we move forward, we are committed to transparency and accountability, bringing our readers insightful content that challenges the status quo. Stay tuned for a possible Part 3, where we may uncover more details about IndyNews.org’s role in past propaganda efforts.

Our goal is to help document this chapter of media history, ensuring that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. By shedding light on the darker corners of political influence, we aim to contribute to a more informed, engaged, and independent media landscape.