The Purpose of Internet Research Organization

Commercial.  Making money through advertising.  That's what MoonOfAlabama says based on the story he presents.  I would imagine that's what Internet Research Association themselves says (and why don't we ever hear their side, isn't that the way criminal justice is supposed to work?  Internet Research Association came to the USA demanding to be interviewed, but Mueller and others refused to hear from them, nor was Julian Assange ever interviewed and he invited it too).  I should see if I can find out what they themselves say, but actually I have not seen that quoted anywhere.

I'd long had this idea it was a research organization, as in the name, and I think that sounds as plausible.  A kind of poll, to measure partisan attitudes in the USA, with weird clickbait for either side.  But it could also have been a test of marketing methods, rather than actual marketing as such.  To me, it sounds too small scale to be either commercial or political.  But it could have been just a small commercial operation, like a startup.

A $44,000 pre-election ad buy (and everything else I've seen about the details) doesn't make much sense to change things.  As the saying goes, when you go for the king, be sure to kill him.  Gentle nudges are a way to get hung.  And with what appeared to be high probability of Hillary winning, that wouldn't be good for sure.  Facebook ads can be traced.

The US knows a lot about this.  We spend billions a year on foreign soft power (USAID, NED, CIA, etc): propaganda, supporting opposition groups, training opposition groups, even violent opposition groups, and still change rarely goes our way (unless "our way" means endless chaos and war).  And then, even more billions on hard power, drones, military missions, military assistance.  We are the country most dedicated to influencing other countries in the world by far, and quite brazenly in large part.

Once you get beyond the headlines, none of the RussiaGate stories ever made any sense, as pointed on by the late Robert Parry and the late Edward Herman (co-author of "Manufacturing Consent") near the beginning, except as manufacturing consent for war by the USA against Russia.  Also distraction, projection, etc.