The U.S. government has reportedly created a social media network similar to Twitter, called ZunZuneo, for Cuba in order to secretly undermine the Cuban government. According to the Associated Press, who obtained over 1,000 pages of documents about the project's development, a U.S. government official by the name of Joe McSpedon went to Barcelona in 2010 in order to covertly work on the special social media project. The project -- which was created by McSpedon and a team of contractors from Cost Rica, Nicaragua, Washington and Denver -- aimed to create a "Cuban Twitter" and was called ZunZuneo.
What is it? The social network is similar to Twitter, but not identical. The network allowed mass text messages to be sent to subscribers of the network. They could also respond and send text messages free of cost. The free aspect is significant, since texting is an expensive cost in the country and the average wage in Cuba is $20 a month.
How did it work? The Associated Press reports that documents reveal that the government had a plan to get subscribers through "non-controversial content." In other words, the government intended to send messages on soccer, music and hurricanes. Once the network became mainstream and popular, the operators that ran it would start sending political content to get Cubans to coordinate "smart mobs."
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What is a "smart mob"? A smart mob is a mass gathering that would be coordinated spontaneously (think flash mob) that would aim to create a "Cuban spring." A USAID document phrased it best: A smart mob would "renegotiate the balance of power between the state and society."
How could they stay off the radar of the Cuban government? The team set up front companies from Cayman Island bank accounts with executives that did not know of the company's ties to the U.S. government. This system allowed the Cuban government from knowing who was really behind the social network.
Which U.S. government agency was responsible for this endeavor? While this sounds like it would be a CIA operation, it was paid for and run by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) -- a government agency overseeing billions of dollars and supposedly providing "economic, development and humanitarian assistant around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States."
Was it successful? More than 40,000 Cubans subscribed to the project at its peak. Cuba's population as 2012 was an estimated 11.27 million.
Did Cubans know who was behind ZunZuneo? Cubans who subscribed to ZunZuneo never know it was created by the U.S. government or that the information being shared on the social media site was being used to create turmoil in the country. "There will be absolutely no mention of United States government involvement," according to a 2010 memo from Mobile Accord, one of the project's contractors. "This is absolutely crucial for the long-term success of the service and to ensure the success of the Mission."
Is it legal? According to U.S. law, a federal agency must have the President's authorization before taking a covert measure like this. USAID has not revealed who approved of the program and there is no confirmation that the White House was in the know. McSpedon is said to be a mid-level manager and he has not commented. According to Matt Herrick, a USAID spokesman, the Cuba program was legal.
"USAID is a development agency, not an intelligence agency, and we work all over the world to help people exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms, and give them access to tools to improve their lives and connect with the outside world," he said. "In the implementation, has the government taken steps to be discreet in non-permissive environments? Of course. That's how you protect the practitioners and the public. In hostile environments, we often take steps to protect the partners we're working with on the ground. This is not unique to Cuba."
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