Disinformation: How Trolls Control an Internet Forum

[Lucille]

RPF has a few! ::waves::


It's happening, people, the question is whether you'll be standing there arguing with a fake sockpuppet of the establishment or shoving your foot up his or her fictitious ass when it happens to you (http://www.jrdeputyaccountant.com/2011/02/why-did-us-military-buy-500-fake.html).

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2016/02/no_author/cointelpro/


The document claims to reveal the techniques — dirty tricks, really — that are practiced by trolls, saboteurs, provocateurs, disinformants, spies and other government operatives, as well as their fellow practitioners of the dark arts.

One thing is certain: we’ve all experienced the frustration of dealing with this phenomenon. We just don’t always recognize it for what it is.

Without even knowing it, you may have witnessed these techniques in action. Perhaps in a political forum that feels somehow manipulated to suppress certain facts and points of view. Or in the deceptive comments that often follow a controversial article. Or in the disruptive behavior at a town hall meeting that seems oddly choreographed. Or at a meeting of activists where the “wrong” people seem to be taking over.

Like toxic mushrooms, the words and actions of these operatives can look harmless. That is why they can so easily poison the well of information.

You may be tempted to write off trolls as harmless nuts, but that may not be the case at all. We know from experience that some of the less harmful techniques described here are a cousin of a PR tactic called “astroturfing,” a tried and true method of some of the most powerful corporations and private interests in America. It is a classic control technique, wielded by those on top to prevent “inconvenient” facts from reaching the public, and to neutralize any action the public may want to take should they learn of these facts.
[...]
The bottom line: Our purpose here is to inform you about some of the “dirty tricks” that may be shaping and distorting what you read online. Far from endorsing these attempts to hijack free and open discourse, we believe that exposing them can help blunt their power to confuse and control. Forewarned is forearmed.

They should get real jobs.

[pcosmar]

RPF has a few! ::waves::





They should get real jobs.

I am sure it is the real job of some.

[donnay]

I am sure it is the real job of some.

With benefits.

[Lucille]

By "real job" I mean one where they actually do something of value, one that they can be proud of, and one which won't end with their descendents spitting on their graves for being the modern-day Nazi pricks that they are.

[cajuncocoa]

It's why people should reject collectivist thought...think only for yourself and not allow yourself to be influenced by others. If they have something to TEACH you, fine. But if they're just trying to manipulate you, walk away.

[donnay]

Actually some people love being contrary and divisive when it comes to liberty. It's a petty power trip that they get-off on.

[Ronin Truth]

It's why people should reject collectivist thought...think only for yourself and not allow yourself to be influenced by others. If they have something to TEACH you, fine. But if they're just trying to manipulate you, walk away.

Very good advice. ;) :)

[Ronin Truth]

Actually some people love being contrary and divisive when it comes to liberty. It's a petty power trip that they get-off on.

I'm just me. If the contrarians just want to disagree, so be it. <shrug>

[Dianne]

By "real job" I mean one where they actually do something of value, one that they can be proud of, and one which won't end with their descendents spitting on their graves for being the modern-day Nazi pricks that they are.

I would love to get a paying job to troll Hillary Clinton/Jeb Bush forums. Where do I apply?

[devil21]

Direct link to source article.
http://whowhatwhy.org/2016/01/27/disinformation-part-1-how-trolls-control-an-internet-forum/

Some historical threads and source material on the shills/trolls/bots.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?195399-Controlled-Opposition-A-must-read-for-everyone-in-the-liberty-movement

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?444986-Snowden-releases-the-intelligence-agency-guide-to-internet-shilling

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?458394-An-insight-into-how-internet-trolls-operate-to-stifle-discussion

[Lucille]

Just a reminder...

Getting Paid to Deny Disrupt Degrade & Deceive
https://hawaiianlibertarian.blogspot.com/2016/07/getting-paid-to-deny-disrupt-degrade.html


...But while the obvious trolls are easily identified as unhinged ideologues and usually true believers in the $ocial Justice Warrior cause (indoctrinated liberal progressive adherents of cultural marxism -- useful idiots,) I believe the other, more insidious types of trolls, the paid shills and psy op agents are far more pervasive and common than honest to goodness "trolls." - a.k.a. stunted individuals looking for cheap thrills by being an asshole on teh Interwebz.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hlU1fxUULyA/V50AZXhCtxI/AAAAAAAABko/KjCLWQAFHKYe2ThLX7eow6x4-32jeLJ0QCLcB/s400/paid.jpg

These shills are trained in tactics to generate a "desirable outcome" of promoting and reinforcing an established narrative, and they are paid for by shady business fronts laundering Government agency funds in service to a covert agenda of FedGov PsyOps, all to promote and reinforce PC establishment propaganda.

In other words, their exists an entire industry of cubicle farm-desk jockeys who get paid to do nothing more than sit in a boiler room styled setup at all hours and troll teh Interwebz.
[...]
Investigative journalist and author, Glenn Greenwald thinks this is one of the most important stories to arise from Edward Snowden's whistle blowing.


...Among the core self-identified purposes of JTRIG are two tactics: (1) to inject all sorts of false material onto the internet in order to destroy the reputation of its targets; and (2) to use social sciences and other techniques to manipulate online discourse and activism to generate outcomes it considers desirable.
[...]
Does all this sound utterly ludicrous and too fantastic to be true? Take heed...as previously noted, in his first term, President Barack Obama appointed Cass Sunstein as the head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.


Sunstein advocates that the Government’s stealth infiltration should be accomplished by sending covert agents into “chat rooms, online social networks, or even real-space groups.” He also proposes that the Government make secret payments to so-called “independent” credible voices to bolster the Government’s messaging (on the ground that those who don’t believe government sources will be more inclined to listen to those who appear independent while secretly acting on behalf of the Government).
[...]
It's no crackpot theory that the Federal Government of USA Inc. is engaged in psy-op mindwars on teh Interwebz. It's an openly admitted policy from an administration official who publicly advocated for such measures before he was appointed head of an Executive Branch Office.
[...]
In conclusion, we must strive to remember that no matter what job any of us do, no matter how hard, laborious or dirty we may get to earn our scrip wages to survive in our Brave New World Order, there is always a worse job than yours. I certainly couldn't live with myself if my main vocation was being a paid troll.

They should quit and blow the whistle, then they'd be heroes rather than the scum of the earth.

[Natural Citizen]

I've always wondered if I've ever debated a paid shill on the Internet. I don't think I have yet.

[jllundqu]

I would love for actual gov trolls to be outed. Can't wikileaks drop that one? lol.... I would think that would make some headlines.

[Lucille]

I've always wondered if I've ever debated a paid shill on the Internet. I don't think I have yet.

LOL You most certainly have!

[Natural Citizen]

LOL You most certainly have!

Eh. You're likely right. Screw em. Heh.

One thing that I think is probably true is that everyone who posts regularly on the board is on a list some place.

[twomp]

Trolls are protected here at RPF. You can't even call a troll "a troll" because its against the rules...

[dannno]

By "real job" I mean one where they actually do something of value, one that they can be proud of, and one which won't end with their descendents spitting on their graves for being the modern-day Nazi pricks that they are.

IMO a real job is one where people pay you voluntarily. A really really real job is one where you don't have some sort of government license or monopoly. So for example, Rand Paul has a real job, but he doesn't have a really really real job.

Massie doesn't have a real job atm that I'm aware of, but he's fighting for liberty so I'm ok with that.

[Lucille]

Thanks, dannno. LOL

Begging in the streets would be more dignified. Very sad, and the only way they can redeem themselves is drop some files to wikileaks and quit.

https://storage.googleapis.com/vidsums/20bdc245-f4f0-47be-911b-9889d46a182c_text.gif

[oyarde]

I would love for actual gov trolls to be outed. Can't wikileaks drop that one? lol.... I would think that would make some headlines.

I have been waiting patiently

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

The trolls on here are not as effective as I once thought. They really sort of stink. One prolific troll spends a lot of time on the economics forum, a forum visited by very few people. Another one now has so many red rep bars and significantly curbed his posting. Another one gives some computer advice, but his trolling is so anemic that it's almost hard to tell he's a troll. Then there's that Dr Seuss character that hardly posts any more.

The internet is so diffuse that trolling can even be a diminishing return. I know the trolls here are making the same concerted effort on behalf of one group, but seems to me their effect is about nil any more.

[CPUd]

It's pretty bad on twitter. I think most of those are semi-automated.