A Washington Post article inaccurately claims that Russian propaganda has managed to manipulate the internet and affected the outcome of the US presidential election by spreading Fake News.

In the article the newspaper promoted a shady website called PropOrNot, which has created a Chrome extension to censor websites that it does not agree with and deems to be “fake news.”

The US news organization has been ridiculed by anyone who has read their article which shows contempt for people’s free will and intelligence.

The anonymous PropOrNot site has compiled a blacklist of websites its anonymous authors accuse of pushing fake news and Russian propaganda.

Sputnik reports:

Sites that PropOrNot is accusing of peddling Russian propaganda include extremely popular news websites on several sides of the political spectrum, including The Drudge Report, TruthOut, Blackagendareport, Sputnik News, and even Wikileaks.

Apparently Drudge Report is Russian propaganda! Maybe that’s how ProporNot got to this absurd #, which we have no clue how they calculated pic.twitter.com/YxsdxXjbV2 — Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) 25 November 2016

“We have used a combination of manual and automated analysis, including analysis of content, timing, technical indicators, and other reporting, in order to initially identify (“red-flag”) the following as Russian propaganda outlets,” a statement included with the published list stated. “We then confirmed our initial assessment by applying whatever criteria we did not originally employ during the red-flag process, and we reevaluate our findings as needed.”

The Washington Post story, which highlighted the blacklist, was quickly called out by The Intercept’s Glenn Greenwald as “journalistic garbage” in a series of tweets mocking the absurdity.

Funniest part: the ones who spread this thought they were exposing “fake news” when they themselves were exhibiting all the hallmarks of it. https://t.co/Ij4uMKBewf — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) 25 November 2016

Greenwald also noted the irony of an outlet which published a story suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin had poisoned Hillary Clinton accusing others of publishing fake news.

Right: in contrast to the WashPost, which deceived everyone about Saddam’s non-existent WMDs & AQ ties & suggested Putin poisoned Hillary. https://t.co/0XkkPexhE8 — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) 25 November 2016

Many other journalists noted that nowhere on PropOrNot’s website does it list who is behind the operation, nor was that aspect covered in the Washington Post piece.

Not only is it disgusting how they smear these sites w/no evidence; worse is that they do it while hiding their identity. Great job, WPost: https://t.co/RmcKTsiqeX — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) 25 November 2016

Making the situation even more comical, PropOrNot published a list of “allies” on their website. The only problem is — none of those allies have actually spoken to them.

“Just want to note I hadn’t heard of Propornot before the WP piece and never gave permission to them to call Bellingcat ‘allies,’” Eliot Higgins, the founder of Bellingcat, who is listed on the website, tweeted on Friday.

James Miller, managing editor of The Interpreter magazine, also listed as an “ally,” confirmed on Twitter that he also was unaware of the website and has no idea who runs it.

I can confirm. I’ve no idea what this website is nor who runs it. Not sure how that makes us “allies.” Looks like just a blogroll https://t.co/BfKo5j4Lvo — James Miller (@Millermena) 25 November 2016

“Information is dangerous and with this new reactionary shift of people making ban lists of so called ‘fake news,’ it shows us how afraid they are of knowledge and differences of opinion that spur people to have an open mind,” Luke Rudkowski, the owner of We Are Change, one of the sites listed on the blacklist, told Sputnik News. “Information is very dangerous for the establishment status quo that tried to keep things the way they are.”

This one’s perfect: If you call the US weak, you’re working for Russia, but if you call the US aggressive, you’re *also* working for Russia pic.twitter.com/onfMsEomER — Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) 25 November 2016

On Friday, the website tweeted a link to their new Chrome extension which will “highlight” the websites which they have “identified.” The move was met with a barrage of mockery, and questions as to why they did not include mainstream media outlets, such as the Washington Post and New York Times, who had reported that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq — helping to muster up popular support for a war on false pretenses.

@propornot I love your list…will make sure to follow them….staying away from MSM…again thanks for that great list…..lol — Alfredo Hidalgo (@notlurking123) 25 November 2016

“The only way to truly have significant change in society is to embrace and discuss new ideas with people you disagree with. Once you shut that door you try to shut down reality…” Rudkowski said, “which is impossible to do and will backfire in all of these nanny-state, fear-filled, control-freak bimbos that push the propaganda of ‘fake news.’”