Possible massive organized trolling?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Possible massive organized trolling?

Main Paineframe: Oct 27, 2010

None of this is in any way new. The right has claimed for a very long time that actually, it's the left who are the true racists, corporate shills, violent, hate freedom, or whatever. The fact that you immediately jumped to thinking it was a massive organized disinformation conspiracy rather than even entertaining the thought that right-wingers might actually think these things is honestly pretty disturbing!

# ¿ Feb 2, 2017 17:13

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 13:20

Main Paineframe: Oct 27, 2010

MarksMan posted:

Yes, I am aware it's not new in any way. And yes I'm well aware the right thinks this way. But again, I just don't think it would be too much of a stretch to think there is some PAC out there who has it's members kind of organizing it, without the rest really knowing it's being organized. For example, how hard would it be to place 3-4 regular posters on The_Donald subreddit, 3-4 others on 4chan (or the same 3-4) and other well-trafficked meeting places of the right? Not very difficult. And then simply make easy-to-understand and succinct memes or fake news articles, and have those people make posts about them and start discussions about them, knowing it is likely to end up and get propagated to tons of other Facebook feeds, Twitter feeds, etc.

I don't think it's some kind of grand, organized conspiracy. I don't even think it's likely people are being paid to do it. But from being on these forums long enough, I know for a fact that it doesn't take that many people to get some bullshit story circulated around the internet. Especially when you add in the fact that in this case, as you said, these people that would be seeing the memes and articles already believe what is being said and like it, so they are encouraged and compelled to circulate it since it confirms their bias and use it as 'proof' that validates their bias.

At this point, what are you even saying? That the people who create fake news are also posting it online? Of course they are - they're not secretly scribbling the stories on toilet paper and hiding them under their pillow only for them to be stolen by PAC ninjas who immediately distribute them to the special ops internet posting squad.

There's no need for political organizations to go around posting fake news everywhere. Why? Because the people who create the news already post it everywhere themselves in order to get maximum eyeballs (and ad views) on their article, and because even if they didn't, the people who normally read their site will naturally go out and share articles they like with people and communities they think will like it.

# ¿ Feb 3, 2017 17:04

Main Paineframe: Oct 27, 2010

BrandorKP posted:

Fine, I'll be specific it really seemed like Tiny Brontosaurus was being gone after in an organized way.

Who do you think is paying us to make fun of Eripsa for fifty straight pages

# ¿ Feb 4, 2017 02:45

Main Paineframe: Oct 27, 2010

MarksMan posted:

Did anyone watch Homeland last night? Season 6, Episode 9. They had a scene, where a conservative radio host owns some mysterious company that is hiring tech people on a massive scale. Max, one of the 'good guys' gets hired to see what's going on.

Essentially in the basement, they have hundreds of young people around computers. They ask Max to fix their code because, "22,000 sock puppets just went offline," and he proceeds to fix it. They tell him they are on Facebook, 4chan, 8chan, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. When he finally gets it fixed, it comes back online and the guy says "Ok people your talking points are in front of you. Get to work. Get ANGRY!"

They explain these are accounts they've created through spoofed IP's and have been maintaining and regularly posting so they appear like regular people. Thousands of them.

I'm not saying this is happening, but it's exactly what I meant by my original post. It wouldn't be very hard at all to get something like this going, using people who already are inclined to a certain viewpoint. Imagine how much narrative online through social media you could control.

Again, not claiming this is happening. Just that it's not a stretch at all to think it could be.

Why bother? There's tons of real people who are willing to do all that for free.

# ¿ Mar 20, 2017 22:50

Main Paineframe: Oct 27, 2010

Stockholm Syndrome posted:

How about Antifa? You think only the right wingers are trolling? I mean, maybe the left-leaning idiots aren't even trolling, they might just be that stupid. But thinking that only the right wing is trolling is something really retarded. Also, just because some people don't share your opinions/ are actively against your opinions doesn't mean that they're trolling, it just means they disagree with you. And to be fair, the left is looking like a bunch of loving idiots this time around. I was a leftie before, but now leaning center/right, just because of how loving corrupt and frankly, stupid, the leftists are. The left doesn't like war, or inequality etc., or so they say. Yet the leftist candidate was Hillary loving Clinton. I lost all hope with the left during this election cycle. Maybe you guys will get your poo poo together, but it sure doesn't seem like it, with your antifa and blatant hatespeech towards anyone who dared vote or support Trump. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Ah yes, "being against fascism" - surely a sign that the person is trolling because no one could ever seriously hold such an opinion. Wanna see the so-called "former leftist" who turned "centrist" (yeah, right) because the left was too mean to neo-Nazis.

# ¿ May 31, 2017 23:20

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Possible massive organized trolling?