Paid/Trained Political Bloggers and Trolls

[Varelse]

I recently met someone who told me she was a housewife and "paid political blogger". I asked what that means and she explained she spends several hours a day posting what she thinks on several websites known to have active forums discussing politics. I said "hmph...interesting"

I asked a few more questions like who pays you, how do they determine what you get paid, do you say what you want or have a "special message to get out or attack/troll" and she wouldn't or couldn't elaborate. She did say she was one of a few thousand in the "group" she worked for and made a lot more in the months rolling up to elections than the rest of the time. I asked if you would do it if you weren't paid and I got a firm "oh hell no, its a total waste of time. But if they're dumb enough to pay me.."

I became curious and began looking for evidence and was surprised to find a little bit. Koch Bros can be linked to one as can a billionaire wealthy left wing CEO. Some claim Fox news has a paid internet army although I've only seen claims.

While I'm sure I've never seen anything like this here in this backwater corner of the interwebs, I wonder about more political sites.

Do you think this is real and if so, does it actually help or hurt the position or ideology they are trying to destroy or promote?

[Indiogene]

I consider 4chan an "employment hiring center" for trolls and other "online warriors" who's only ambition is to stir up trouble. I know one case of political trolling: the Mitt Romney.com live chat raid on April 1, 2012. About 40 anons came in within a hour's time, trolled, spammed, cursed, used hate speech and disrupt chat. The mods took care of the raid and disabled anonymous posting ever since. Were these anons paid to severely disrupt a political live chat? Who knows, but I sense they originated from the likes of 4chan and their only gain isn't monetary, they did it on purpose.

[+DieChecker]

Sure it is real. Just as organizations fund commercials and send people out into the streets, they'll send people into the internet to spread their Gospel. I'll bet that 90% of it is on the super active News sites, such as Fox, MSNBC, HuffPo, CNN, even PBS probably.

If you can get someone to post convincing political arguments for like $20 an hour, do you realize that is a super efficient use of money?

I think Ron Paul did a fantastic good job of online coordination and distribution of his volunteer internet army he had in 2012. I doubt he paid them, but many of them went on for hours and hours defending his platforms and plans. Even if he had paid them, it would have been super efficient political activity. Too bad what they were defending was too radical for the public at the time.

[Gromdor]

I can't see a paid political troll being a lucrative job as too many people do it for free. But I can see an advantage and profit in manipulating the internet to bury information or making a company or product look more popular that what it really is via search engines. Perhaps during campaign time. In that situation a paid troll would be similar to people paid to wave campaign signs or knock door to door I suppose.

It would be nice to be paid for your thoughts though. But truth be told, a simple app could probably spam political rhetoric for a lot less cost. Something that scans a forum for certain keywords and then posts a response.

[spartan max2]

Leaked files showed that NSA does this.

So I assume alot of politics and business do this. It's all about PR

[spartan max2]

While we are on the topic it may suprise people to know that companies also do underground marketing for products. Basically they pay hipsters to use and talk about it but don't have any commercials so that it won't seem mainstream

[TheDarkerSide]

I so think it could be true.

I have always wondered when online shopping and reading customer reviews, wether they are all the real deal. I mean it wouldn't cost much to pay someone to go to various shopping websites and leave favourable feedback on your own products.

I am by no means saying that all feedback is this way, just that certain feedback I read tends ro be a bit too over the top in their praise for a said product, even when I bought the product it wasn't nearly as good as the feedback made it out to be.

[jugoso]

Lots of examples with links

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/02/you-know-those-obnoxious-posters-who-almost-seem-like-alter-egos-of-the-same-person-they-actually-might-be.html

[Beany]

All you need to do is google "paid political blogging", "paying political bloggers", etc. and you'll get a lot of hits. So much for a groundswell of public opinion.

[Varelse]

I knew about product related campaigns-to promote things on the down-low to fake momentum. It didn't take long for subversion from unscrupulous competitors to follow suit. But the paid "highjacking" to obfuscate, lie and just plain troll things that work against political ideas, acts or officials seems even more insidious. What I'm talking even about goes beyond Swiftboating or McCain's child out of wedlock. Its a non stop drumbeat on progression of all ideas and change. The one thing we all hoped the internet would usher in.

I kind of knew the answer before posting the topic but I wanted to see what others thought. I guess the real question is "Are there enough people posting and reading to actually sway things or do most people look at those who are always getting into endless, ultimately meaningless arguments on the internet as time wasting idiots all around?"

[Aus Der Box Skeptisch]

:looks around : ninja run they outed you, yomato has the car running out back

Edited February 11, 2015 by Aus Der Box Skeptisch

[MordorOrc]

It's getting to the stage where foreign governments have cottoned onto this. Russia and China in particular have paid political bloggers and people who go onto forums and produce letter perfect diatribes against whatever it is the evil West is up to this week. They're usually easy to find because of their outlandish claims.

[Guest Br Cornelius]

It's getting to the stage where foreign governments have cottoned onto this. Russia and China in particular have paid political bloggers and people who go onto forums and produce letter perfect diatribes against whatever it is the evil West is up to this week. They're usually easy to find because of their outlandish claims.

I was thinking exactly the same thing

Br Cornelius

[Dredimus]

Israel has done this as well LINK

[Beany]

I have no doubt there's a daily or weekly meeting or e-mail communications where political staff direct the bloggers on which topics to hammer away and suggest possible phrases to use. I never read a blog without googling the person first to find out what, if any, connections they have to a larger political organization and how credible their opinions or claims are.

[questionmark]

Naturally they exist, just as pundits exist in the media.

I guess in some months we will find the usual gang even on these pages. Prezz elections on the way, you know?

[F3SS]

You'll see them on the big sites like huffpo or theblaze. The regulars usually out them and they're usually hardline party hacks and verbatim to major talking points.

[spartan max2]

You'll see them on the big sites like huffpo or theblaze. The regulars usually out them and they're usually hardline party hacks and verbatim to major talking points.

I wouldn't be so sure.

That's how we assume they would act but I'm sure people are aware of this so they probably have people act moderate on ways too

[F3SS]

I wouldn't be so sure.

That's how we assume they would act but I'm sure people are aware of this so they probably have people act moderate on ways too

I'm sure. It's probably impossible to tell really.

[questionmark]

I'm sure. It's probably impossible to tell really.

It is not really... you always know when the elections are over 'cause they disappear, good thing a persons writing style is as unique as fingerprints. You always detect them when they show up again.

[F3SS]

It is not really... you always know when the elections are over 'cause they disappear, good thing a persons writing style is as unique as fingerprints. You always detect them when they show up again.

True also. I can only think of one here and I haven't seen him for a couple years now. Can't name names though. As for other sites, well I like breezing through comments but aside from a regular or two I wouldn't remember one from one day to the next. What I am saying is that since I don't comment and engage on other sites I don't pay much attention to who's who. I just read what's there.

I've been on this site only a few years but I was lurking and surfing it probably since the beginning. I probably read thousands of comments during that time but didn't know or recognize anyone. Just the words you typed.

[Varelse]

If they are here, whether paid by the post or it's part of what they do in the down time of their regular hack politically related job they must just be cutting their teeth. I've not seen anything in my time posting or lurking that resembles much more than your average gullibility-prone echo chamber rants. From both fringes of the political spectrum. And it's all good. Just enough to keep me on my toes.

I honestly can't stomach the comments sections on sites like Fox, Brietbart, HuffPo or WaPo. It's soul sucking and like watching a M Night Shamalan movie. I always wish I never went there or did that.

[Wickian]

If they are here, whether paid by the post or it's part of what they do in the down time of their regular hack politically related job they must just be cutting their teeth. I've not seen anything in my time posting or lurking that resembles much more than your average gullibility-prone echo chamber rants. From both fringes of the political spectrum. And it's all good. Just enough to keep me on my toes.

I honestly can't stomach the comments sections on sites like Fox, Brietbart, HuffPo or WaPo. It's soul sucking and like watching a M Night Shamalan movie. I always wish I never went there or did that.

I somehow doubt internet forums/comments section is going to sway many people. Chances are that if you're looking at either of them then you already have an opinion you're planning on telling or checking to see who else agrees with you, not to have a change of opinions.

[Indiogene]

I somehow doubt internet forums/comments section is going to sway many people. Chances are that if you're looking at either of them then you already have an opinion you're planning on telling or checking to see who else agrees with you, not to have a change of opinions.

As an adage goes: We all have opinions like we have a-holes. You don't have to keep your opinions on a political or controversial issue to yourself, it's a free country or so they say with the first amendment (in the US) and what could be better to express your opinions is a message board or online community, esp. devoted to politics and current events. Most likely, anyone with strong opinions isn't doing this for the money, nor are trolling...they have strong opinions and want to express them cleverly. We can remain calm, cool or civil when we discuss controversy with one another, then the message board option protects your anonymity and the only threat you have is coming off as "offensive" or starts a flame war with another member. To be paid for sharing your (or the candidate's or political party platform's) opinions is the stronger the opinion, the better you're promoting the platform.

[+DieChecker]

I somehow doubt internet forums/comments section is going to sway many people. Chances are that if you're looking at either of them then you already have an opinion you're planning on telling or checking to see who else agrees with you, not to have a change of opinions.

Yes, but those that make the most noise online get the Media to say they have the advantage (somehow?), and THAT said, on the News, causes people to believe it and vote like they are told to. I'd argue that online political blogging/posting is highly efficient for what it costs....