By positioning myself as chum in Perception Management Operations (PMOs) waters, I’ve turned the game on its head—baiting the manipulators into revealing themselves.
In the evolving battlespace of information warfare, Perception Management is a precision weapon—capable of sculpting, diluting, or fabricating Truth to achieve strategic dominance. This isn’t a theoretical construct confined to intelligence agencies; it’s an operational reality infiltrating government policy, media channels, and algorithms that shape our digital existence.
Reality hacking is the simulation they speak of — a meticulously crafted illusion where perception replaces truth, and narratives become the code that governs belief. The real simulation isn’t technology; it’s the manipulation of your reality.
Tore Maras
Perception Management Operations (PMO) are designed to control the cognitive environment by influencing how populations interpret events, policies, and people. These operations deploy psyops tactics, disinformation campaigns, and active measures to manipulate the information battlespace, turning narratives into instruments of influence and coercion.
By dissecting the anatomy of Perception Management Operations, detailing their objectives, the tradecraft techniques employed to execute them, and the collateral damage inflicted on individuals caught in the crossfire of engineered narratives, you will be better armed to acknowledge it. Understanding these operations isn’t just about awareness but recognizing when reality has been weaponized against you.
What Is a Perception Management Operation?
A Perception Management Operation (PMO) is the strategic art of controlling how information is received and interpreted to achieve specific, often manipulative, outcomes. According to the Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 3600.01, perception management involves shaping, manipulating, or denying information to influence emotions, decisions, and reasoning processes. This manifests in various forms, such as disinformation campaigns, narrative control, and the outright suppression of inconvenient facts.
These operations frequently fall within the scope of Counterintelligence (CI) Deception or Active Measures, the latter being a hallmark of Soviet-era tradecraft designed to confuse, discredit, and dominate public discourse. The primary objectives are deceptively simple yet deeply insidious: sow confusion, undermine credibility, and seize control of the narrative.
A hallmark of advanced perception management is the ability to appropriate, distort, or repurpose the investigative work of others. By co-opting legitimate findings, claiming credit for revelations, or reframing Evidence to fit an alternate narrative, operatives effectively own the Truth and dictate its presentation. In doing so, they can neutralize whistleblowers, disarm critics, and cast genuine facts as fabrications.
The endgame is clear: to dictate reality. Perception management operations are a force multiplier in information warfare, whether through politically motivated messaging, discrediting a whistleblower, or shaping global public opinion. They exploit the work and discoveries of others, twisting them into weapons of influence, ensuring that the Truth—however tangible—remains obscured beneath layers of carefully curated deception.
Perception Management Operations — because who needs reality when you can script the illusion? ~Tore Maras
Example in Action: How Perception Management Operations Neutralize the Truth
Here is a great example. An investigative journalist uncovers systemic misconduct within a government agency, such as Evidence of financial corruption or abuse of power. When these revelations surface, a Perception Management Operation (PMO) can be swiftly deployed to redirect, distort, or suppress the narrative. Rather than addressing the allegations directly or refuting the facts, the operation pivots to an aggressive campaign designed to discredit the journalist. The focus shifts to the journalist’s personal life, past mistakes, political leanings, or fabricated misconduct allegations and defamation. Before long, the original evidence of corruption was buried under a deluge of innuendo, smear tactics, and distraction, confusing the public and the journalist’s credibility in tatters. Neutralizing the Truth doesn’t sound honorable.
This tactic of discrediting the source rather than the message is known as “Attacking the Source,” a classic form of Ad Hominem. It aligns with principles outlined in the CIA’s Counterintelligence Manual (FM 34-60), which discusses methods to undermine adversaries by contaminating public perception. The operation’s objective is not to engage with the substance of the journalist’s findings but to ensure their credibility is so thoroughly damaged that the public questions the validity of their reporting, regardless of the evidence.
Legally, such tactics operate in a grey zone. DoD Directive 3600.01 governs Information Operations (IO), encompassing psychological operations (PsyOps), electronic warfare, and perception management to influence perceptions and behaviors. While IOs ( The America Project is an IO) are typically justified as tools for foreign adversaries, their principles can be manipulated for domestic perception management. For example, the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012 allows government messaging intended initially for foreign audiences to be distributed domestically. This blurring of lines can enable sophisticated narrative control campaigns that target citizens with messages designed to obscure the Truth.
One key technique in executing these operations is Narrative Inversion. Instead of addressing the allegations head-on, the focus is shifted to portray the journalist’s investigation as a politically motivated or a baseless “conspiracy theory.” The misconduct fades into the background as public attention is drawn to the journalist’s supposed bias or hidden agenda. This inversion of the narrative can be devastatingly effective, as it leverages existing societal divisions to undermine trust in the messenger.
Another common technique is Astroturfing, which involves creating fake grassroots support (like Cause for America or Audit the Vote)to amplify the discrediting narrative. This can be coordinated social media campaigns, where bots or paid influencers flood platforms with messages reinforcing doubts about the journalist’s integrity. By creating the illusion of widespread public consensus, these campaigns manufacture doubt and discourage others from supporting the journalist’s findings. For example, coordinated online narratives often emerged to paint whistleblowers as traitors during investigations into government surveillance programs despite substantial Evidence supporting their claims.
When the loudest voices are bots, not believers, that is Artificial Consensus. ~Tore Maras
Sometimes, a Limited Hangout is used, wherein partial truths are admitted to distract from more significant misconduct. For instance, an agency might acknowledge a minor breach of protocol while concealing broader, systemic corruption. This limited admission satisfies public curiosity enough to quell further investigation while the more significant issue remains hidden. As noted in Daniel Ellsberg’s exposure of the Pentagon Papers, this technique was often used to minimize damage by conceding lesser misdeeds. We should talk about the Pentagon Papers again. The J6 investigations are all limited hangouts on the government side and the operators who were not arrested constructed the event. They are throwing support for those arrested but concealing Evidence of their involvement.
Gaslighting plays a critical role in perception management. The operation destabilizes public confidence in the Truth by repeatedly and authoritatively insisting that the journalist’s claims are false—even in the face of undeniable evidence. Gaslighting relies on the psychological principle that people are more likely to question their perceptions if a trusted authority consistently denies them. This technique was observed during the Church Committee investigations of the 1970s, where attempts to discredit the findings of CIA overreach included outright denial of documented abuses.
This scenario is not purely hypothetical; it reflects real-world tactics against whistleblowers and investigative reporters. For example, when Edward Snowden exposed the NSA’s mass surveillance programs, the narrative quickly shifted from discussing government overreach to questioning Snowden’s motives, patriotism, and personal integrity. Similarly, journalists often find themselves the targets of coordinated disinformation campaigns to undermine their credibility during financial misconduct or corruption investigations.
The goal of these operations is unmistakable: to own the narrative, control the investigation, and erase the trail of accountability. By weaponizing perception, those in power ensure that Truth becomes secondary to maintaining their influence and control. Recognizing these patterns is essential for the public to see through the haze of deception and discern when reality is being manipulated for strategic ends. This is reality hacking.
The Objectives of Perception Management Operations
The primary objectives of Perception Management Operations (PMOs) revolve around manipulating Truth and public perception to serve strategic goals. These operations are not random acts of misinformation but carefully orchestrated campaigns designed to confuse, deflect, discredit, and control. Their success relies on exploiting cognitive biases, information channels, and societal dynamics to achieve dominance over the narrative.
One central objective of perception management is obscuring the Truth. This involves reframing, distorting, and manipulating facts to render the Truth ambiguous or irrelevant. Operators deliberately create confusion by amplifying alternative narratives or half-truths. This confusion isn’t a byproduct; it is the intended outcome. The principle aligns with active measures strategies used during the Cold War by Soviet intelligence to sow discord and uncertainty. For instance, when concrete evidence of governmental misconduct emerges, a perception operation might release contradictory reports, misleading commentary, or fabricated documents. The resulting information overload leaves the public uncertain about what to believe, effectively neutralizing the original evidence.
Another core objective is deflecting accountability. When an organization or influential individual faces scrutiny, perception management operations aim to divert attention away from them by saturating public discourse with distractions or alternative explanations. This tactic is particularly effective when paired with selective counter-events or manufactured crises. For example, if a government agency is accused of misusing public funds, a simultaneous narrative might emerge about a different, unrelated controversy, thus diverting public focus. This aligns with the principles in DoD Directive 3600.01, which recognizes the use of information control to manage public perception strategically. By shifting focus away from the real issue, those responsible avoid scrutiny and accountability.
Discrediting opponents is another pivotal aim of perception management. Whistleblowers, journalists, or dissenting voices are often labeled as “conspiracy theorists,“”unreliable sources,” or “politically motivated actors.” This tactic undermines the messenger’s credibility, thereby minimizing the impact of their revelations. The damage to the individual’s reputation discourages others from aligning with or supporting their claims. Such tactics are defined within Counterintelligence (CI) Deception strategies outlined in the CIA’s Counterintelligence Manual (FM 34-60), which emphasizes character assassination as a method of neutralizing adversaries. For instance, when I reported on the Chinese buying land in North Dakota and a well-organized group of politicians there participating and facilitating organized human trafficking, my character assassination occurred by the Attorney General, who was also part of the operations. He killed himself on the morning of his indictment, and his Deputy Attorney General also killed himself in the summer, yet even though they weaponized the courts to character assassinate me, no one looks at the fact to see that they conducted an operation against me. Specifically, those who pander to the patriotic Americans amplified the CIA’s coordinated effort to silence me because I uncovered that it also involved people in President Trump’s circle who have yet to be named but are active in “alleging” their patriotism.
Artificial consensus is another objective central to perception management. This often involves astroturfing, a tactic where fake grassroots support is generated to give the impression that a majority opinion supports a particular narrative. By manipulating social media, deploying bots, or paying influencers, operators create the illusion that their version of events is widely accepted. As a result, this perception of widespread agreement makes the narrative seem legitimate, omnipresent, and resistant to scrutiny. Real alternative perspectives are marginalized, labeled as fringe, or drowned out entirely. This aligns with the Information Operations (IO) concept in military doctrine, which seeks to shape public opinion to achieve strategic advantages.
When the loudest voices are bots, not believers, that is Artificial Consensus. ~Tore Maras
In all these cases, perception management operations exploit legal grey zones. While outright fabrication may violate laws against defamation or fraud, strategic distortion, selective framing, and character attacks often fall short of legal violations. Regulations like the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act (2012), which allows domestic dissemination of government information initially intended for foreign audiences, have inadvertently created loopholes where perception management tactics can be deployed on home soil without apparent oversight or accountability. That would also mean that those engaging in such activities without fear of accountability ARE working for the government directly or indirectly. Today, the one thing we should ask is which government? The fourth unelected branch of government or the government on life support created by our founding fathers? CONSISTENCY IN THE MESSAGE IS KEY. You can’t applaud a group of people one day and denounce them the next. That is inconsistent.
Ultimately, these objectives — obscuring the Truth, deflecting accountability, discrediting opponents, and creating artificial consensus — serve a singular purpose: to dominate and control the narrative. Recognizing these tactics in action is critical for discerning reality amidst an ever-increasing fog of manipulated information.
The Human Cost of Perception Management Operations
The psychological toll inflicted by Perception Management Operations (PMOs) is far from hypothetical—it is profoundly devastating. When a targeted individual, such as a whistleblower or investigative journalist, is subjected to these campaigns, the erosion they experience impacts every facet of their personal and professional life. These operations are designed to suppress the Truth and fracture the resolve and well-being of those who dare to speak it.
The phenomenon of Cognitive Dissonance is particularly insidious. When someone possesses verifiable Truth yet faces constant public invalidation, it creates a profound psychological conflict. Their internal reality clashes with the external narrative being imposed on them, leading to self-doubt, confusion, and mental distress. This dissonance can fracture personal belief systems, leaving individuals questioning their perceptions and eroding their confidence in their judgment. The more pervasive the disinformation, the harder it becomes for individuals to hold onto their sense of reality. For example, whistleblowers revealing government misconduct often doubt their sanity as official narratives deny or invert their findings.
Professional Destabilization is another calculated outcome of these operations. The targeted individual may face smears, career sabotage, and loss of opportunities designed to undermine their professional standing. Personal attacks, accusations of incompetence, or allegations of bias can weaken their credibility, making it difficult to find work, publish findings, or maintain professional relationships. This aligns with strategies detailed in the CIA’s Counterintelligence Manual (FM 34-60), which highlights that discrediting and neutralizing adversaries can be achieved by undermining their professional reputations. For example, a journalist who exposes corporate fraud may soon find themselves blacklisted from significant publications, effectively cutting off their livelihood.
People who inflict mental anguish on others have morals buried so deep that even rock bottom can’t find them.~Tore Maras
The social consequence of these campaigns is often Isolation. Once discredited or labeled a “conspiracy theorist” or “traitor,” the individual can become marginalized by public sentiment, professional networks, and personal acquaintances. Friends and colleagues may distance themselves from fear or perceived association, leaving the victim navigating a hostile and lonely environment. This tactic, known as social marginalization, ensures that the individual’s support network erodes, making it easier to suppress their message. Historical examples include figures like Daniel Ellsberg, who faced significant social alienation after leaking the Pentagon Papers, despite later vindication.
How to Defend Against Perception Management
Combatting perception management operations is not for the faint of heart; it demands resilience, transparency, and strategic collaboration. A robust defense starts with methodical documentation, independent verification, and proactive public engagement.
Documenting evidence is foundational to any defense strategy. Providing a clear, time-stamped trail of evidence—such as third-party verifications, receipts, emails, and unaltered documents—creates an indisputable record of the Truth. This aligns with the principles of chain of custody used in legal proceedings, ensuring that evidence is authenticated and resistant to tampering claims. For example, whistleblowers can use encrypted platforms and blockchain-based timestamping to verify the integrity of their disclosures.
Equally important is Independent Verification. Collaborating with respected journalists, researchers, or established fact-checking organizations lends credibility to the evidence and the individual presenting it. Third-party validation acts as a buffer against claims of bias or fabrication. Investigative bodies like ProPublica or The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) can serve as allies, as their reputations for rigorous fact-checking bolster public confidence. The importance of independent verification is underscored in journalistic ethics codes, such as those outlined by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), which stress the need for corroboration to ensure credibility.
Public Engagement is crucial for bypassing controlled or distorted narratives. In an era where mainstream channels can be influenced or censored, digital platforms offer a way to disseminate the Truth directly to the public. Podcasts, video interviews, and resource hubs allow the targeted individual to present their case transparently, reaching audiences without intermediaries. Platforms like Substack, Rumble, Truth Social, X, and independent news websites empower individuals to control their messaging. This approach reflects the principles of Information Operations (IO) in military strategy, where direct communication is used to counteract adversarial narratives.
Ultimately, defending against perception management operations requires a combination of vigilance, documentation, and strategic alliances. By understanding these tactics and deploying effective countermeasures, individuals can safeguard their credibility and ensure that the Truth withstands the assault of distortion and disinformation.
Armed with Awareness, Not Fear
Exposing and resisting perception management operations is defending the integrity of truth. One cannot easily dismantle centuries-old tactics rooted in intelligence disciplines, but awareness is the antidote to control. Unveil manipulation. Question everything. Challenge narratives.
REALITY HACKERS MET THEIR MATCH
For the past decade, I have meticulously mapped the intricate influence networks of various NGOs (domestic and international), political PACs, and non-profits, tracing their claimed missions to “save the country” and promote justice – both liberal and conservative. Astonishingly, these networks consistently overlapped with other entities that ostensibly pursue opposing goals. This intersection of influence reveals a disturbing reality: many networks dedicated to national restoration have been infiltrated and compromised by the very forces they claim to resist. This infiltration is a hallmark of Perception Management Operations (PMOs) and Information Operations (IO) designed to confuse, divide, and delay public action by manipulating the truth under the guise of advocacy and patriotism.
Unlike others who have chosen to participate, I have consistently declined offers of cooperation, collaboration, and the signing of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). These NDAs serve as legal muzzles, ensuring that individuals who have glimpsed the inner workings of these networks remain silenced or complicit. By refusing to entangle myself within these webs of mutual back-scratching and covert suppression, I have preserved the integrity needed to assemble an unfiltered, thorough report to present to President Trump- and I am aware he has a task force at the DOD doing the same. Mine is unique as I serve as chum. This report bears the deliberate confusion and obfuscation perpetrated through these PMOs and IOs, which have significantly impeded efforts to hold the guilty parties accountable.
Many who initially set out to expose these operations have been absorbed into a lucrative cycle of talking circuits, staged events, and self-published literature. Under the pretense of revealing hidden truths, they have become instruments of the same machinery they purport to dismantle. Books, speeches, and seminars that claim to offer insights into “5G warfare,” “information dominance,” “devolution,” “Ericcson Report,” “Ukraine,” “climate change,” or “deep state manipulation” are often themselves components of the operation. The irony is inescapable: those who claim to teach the public about these tactics are often, knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, participating in the very campaigns they describe. A good example is the NGO/non-profit Save the Children, which was never about saving but exploiting them. This cycle perpetuates false enlightenment, generating wealth and influence for the few while the truth remains obscured.
In the game of deception, the only way to win is to refuse to sit at the table.The most brilliant move against manipulation? Step off the board and watch them play amongst themselves.~Tore Maras
The importance of truth in this context cannot be overstated. These deceptive operations constantly undermine the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 18 U.S.C. § 1001 (prohibiting false statements in federal matters), and legal principles governing public trust and transparency. The deliberate propagation of misinformation causes mental anguish, fostering a sense of betrayal and cognitive dissonance in those who genuinely seek to uncover the truth. These operations exploit the excuse that such manipulation is “for the public’s good,” a justification that echoes the doctrines of authoritarian control rather than democratic accountability. That demonstrates the morality of people who do these things- their morals are in the toilet when they can justify it.
From a legal perspective, such deliberate manipulation may border on fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to deceive the public. The psychological toll, confusion, and delay in action caused by these operations could potentially be grounds for civil or even criminal claims, particularly if it can be proven that these strategies were designed to prevent lawful accountability processes. The weaponization of information to mislead citizens and policymakers undermines the foundational principles of due process and informed consent.
Ultimately, the truth will prevail no matter how sophisticated or layered these deceptions are. History shows that deception cannot remain hidden indefinitely, no matter how artfully constructed. When the curtain is lifted, those who participated in these manipulations—whether through greed, coercion, or ignorance—will face the weight of public judgment and the cold clarity of evidence. The unfiltered truth is the most powerful weapon against these operations, and only through fearless exposure can we
Defining Reality Hacking
Reality Hacking, as I have articulated for years, is the strategic manipulation of perceptions, narratives, and information flows to distort the collective understanding of reality. It is a form of information warfare where truth is not merely suppressed but reconstructed, often blending fact with fiction so seamlessly that distinguishing one from the other becomes a monumental task. Unlike traditional hacking, which targets digital systems, reality hacking infiltrates the human cognitive system—our beliefs, perceptions, and reasoning processes. The objective is to create a false but convincing reality that serves specific strategic interests, whether political, corporate, or ideological.
At its core, reality hacking exploits the vulnerabilities of human psychology, leveraging cognitive biases, emotional triggers, and trust in authority figures to reshape public consciousness. This manipulation is often executed through Perception Management Operations (PMOs), disinformation campaigns, and social engineering tactics that flood the information space with misleading or contradictory narratives. As I have exposed, these operations infiltrate influence networks, co-opt genuine movements, and subvert individuals who believe they are working for the common good. The most insidious aspect of reality hacking is that those spreading the false narratives may not realize they are pawns in a larger, orchestrated deception.
The ultimate aim of reality hacking is to control the cognitive environment, ensuring that populations act, react, or remain passive according to the orchestrators’ design. It delays accountability (like the elections of 2020), fosters confusion, and isolates truth-tellers by labeling them as outliers or conspiracists. As I have emphasized repeatedly, recognizing reality hacking is the first step to dismantling it; the antidote to this manipulation is unfiltered truth, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to exposing the deception. In a world where reality can be hacked, seeking and defending truth becomes the most powerful form of resistance to dismantle these deception networks and restore accountability.
By positioning myself as chum in Perception Management Operations (PMOs) waters, I’ve turned the game on its head—baiting the manipulators into revealing themselves. While they believe they’re luring me into their narrative traps, they don’t realize their tactics are fully displayed. By engaging, observing, and declining to comply with their offers of cooperation or NDAs, I’ve exposed their patterns, networks, and desperation to control the narrative. Every attempt to discredit, co-opt, or confuse me becomes another thread in the web I’m mapping, a signal flare highlighting their methods and objectives. Their arrogance blinds them to that I’m not their prey—I’m their mirror, reflecting their strategies on them. In this game, being the bait means I watch them bite, record their movements, and document their deceptions. They believe they’re devouring me, but in reality, they’re feeding me the evidence I need to shatter their illusions and expose them.
I always say they pull their pants down, and if you follow the money, you can see them all.
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