Manipulation of social media and internet discussion boards

[Yossarian]

It is claimed that manipulation of social media and internet discussion boards is rife, with numerous groups and organisations, including those managed and financed by nation states, existing with the sole purpose of pushing a specific agenda and/or maligning those who hold opposing views, or even using them in proxy wars to discredit the image of other groups or states.

It is said that some countries use thousands of paid volunteers to create fake identities on social media, internet discussion forums and message boards, with numerous individuals taking round-the-clock turns using shared usernames/id's in pushing the agenda's of their backers. Bots are also used extensively in this regard.

Has anyone been on any discussion boards where particular members are suspected of being part of such groups using shared id's/usernames? Or suspected 'likes' and comments as having been generated by bots?

I occasional read the comments sections at the ends of news stories on the online versions of mainstream newspapers, and after a while it becomes obvious that such groups are at play manipulating the discussions going on. In article after article, often the same (or very similar) wording is used to attack particular views by completely different usernames/id's. Even word-for-word same posts in the comments sections of articles on a particular topic but in different online news media.

 

[Varun]

I occasional read the comments sections at the ends of news stories on the online versions of mainstream newspapers, and after a while it becomes obvious that such groups are at play manipulating the discussions going on. In article after article, often the same (or very similar) wording is used to attack particular views by completely different usernames/id's. Even word-for-word same posts in the comments sections of articles on a particular topic but in different online news media.

Can you support this point with examples?

 

[s28]

The British were always the masters of this. In the old days it was about 'projection' of 'hard power' such as gunboat diplomacy. Nowadays it is about 'projection' of 'soft power'. They talk openly about this whilst obviously keeping/trying to keep their actions covert.

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en-gb"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Britain's drugs trade in China: a true history <a href="https://t.co/eESguuoaSy">pic.twitter.com/eESguuoaSy</a></p>— Crimes of Britain (@crimesofbrits) <a href="https://twitter.com/crimesofbrits/status/906132516985344000">8 September 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Yossarian]

Can you support this point with examples?

I could if I had the inclination. But you could do the same as per above.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I don't really think about this, if I thought it was going on I would probably get defensive and ask the OP to support his case with examples.

 

[MenInG]

You guys can keep discussion on this generic if you like

 

[Yossarian]

Can you support this point with examples?

I don't really think about this, if I thought it was going on I would probably get defensive and ask the OP to support his case with examples.

Would an article on the same topic from a respected mainstream newspaper suffice?

Governments all over the world are manipulating social media for their own ends. That’s where the digital footsoldiers come in – smearing opponents, spreading disinformation and posting fake texts for ‘pocket money’

We don’t know who they are, or what their mission is. We only know that there are thousands of them out there, pretending to be us. They may be at home, or in special offices, or sitting beside you on the train. They use social media, and write blogs and comments. Some of them may visit the bottom of this article.

You can hire your own troll army if you have the cash. In 2011 the PR firm Bell Pottinger told undercover journalists that they could “create and maintain third-party blogs”, and spruce up Wikipedia profiles and Google search rankings. Indeed marketing has a rich history of so-called “astroturfing”, which is laying down fake grassroots. Take Forest, “the voice and friend of the smoker”, which at least admits in nearly invisible small print that it is paid for by the tobacco industry.


Now, however, manipulating social media has become part of the business of government. It may yet influence how governments are formed. Recent reports suggest that many of Donald Trump’s most fervent online supporters are not themselves Americans, but Russians being paid by their government to help him win. One told Samantha Bee that she pretends to be a housewife from Nebraska. Why she would confess it now is unexplained, but when you look around it begins to feel like everybody does it. It’s just that no two countries’ methods are the same.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/nov/06/troll-armies-social-media-trump-russian

 

[Markhor]

The Russian bots on social media during the US election campaign last year was the biggest example of this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/...column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

I barely believe in any political news anywhere - television channels, print media, or social media etc. Have deactivated facebook for a very long time as it is nothing but ads.

It's the age of disinformation and it's plain annoying.

 

[Haroon786]

I barely believe in any political news anywhere - television channels, print media, or social media etc. Have deactivated facebook for a very long time as it is nothing but ads.

It's the age of disinformation and it's plain annoying.

How do you remain informed?

 

[Yossarian]

How do you remain informed?

Surely you mean misinformed?

 

[KingKhanWC]

A lot of nations use this type of covert tactics but I would say Israel is the best. Israeli's have been using paid trolls for many years now, Ive interacted with a couple on twitter. Their arguments are all the same and if you challenge them they have a response ready. If they cant answer something , usually latest news , they repeat what they wrote before.

Im sure India has them too but not sure if there is anyone on this forum.

 

[Yossarian]

The Russian bots on social media during the US election campaign last year was the biggest example of this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/...st-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

A certain (mighty for it's size) Middle Eastern military power allegedly has numerous groups and organisations, with often paid or zealot volunteers, with many of them funded by the state or by wealthy individuals based in the USA and UK, whose role is to surf social media websites and discussion forums with the sole purpose of searching out negative comments or negative views expressed about the said state, by politicians or others in the media who are critical of the policies of that state. Their other role is to counter critical views by the general public about the state in question, and turn the conversations around to jihadists, Isis, allegations claiming Sharia law is being introduced European legal systems by the back door, etc. And if that is not enough, throw in the suffering of their people from the time the Egyptians kicked them out.

 

[Yossarian]

A lot of nations use this type of covert tactics but I would say Israel is the best. Israeli's have been using paid trolls for many years now, Ive interacted with a couple on twitter. Their arguments are all the same and if you challenge them they have a response ready. If they cant answer something , usually latest news , they repeat what they wrote before.

Im sure India has them too but not sure if there is anyone on this forum.

I'm certain India has them by the millions. But I doubt they're state financed. They probably feel it's their patriotic duty.

 

[Stewie]

Believe it or not Russians have mastered this art and under the guise of conservative, they really were out in full force during the elections almost everywhere supporting Trump and spreading all sorts of false stories about his opponents.

 

[Stewie]

India latest generation is mostly call center workers and a good portion of them work for overseas companies during even hours providing support when its working hours in the west. I am sure during those hours, they have nothing better to do during down time but surf the net and engage in such activities. The sheer number that could be involved in this is overwhelming

 

[Yossarian]

Believe it or not Russians have mastered this art and under the guise of conservative, they really were out in full force during the elections almost everywhere supporting Trump and spreading all sorts of false stories about his opponents.

Russians .... and citizens (many of whom are descendants of recent Russian immigrants) of certain country in the Middle East.
Furthermore, the Western sympthisers of the state in question also own and/or control much of the media, both social media on the internet as well as the written media and it's online versions. And oh yes, they also have the US goverment in their back pocket along with the majority (but not all) of the UK Parliamentarians.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

How do you remain informed?

Surely you mean misinformed?

most of the events are the same in the world, the places change. a hurricane here, a hurricane there. so i don't miss too much of the world anyway.

plus i use twitter, so i do get a broad idea of what's happening in the world.

and lastly it's more like, not my monkey, not my circus kinda approach that I've developed in the last few years. I know about the things that I do and control and my surroundings. North Korea testing a hydrogen bomb really isn't my beeswax.

 

[Haroon786]

Surely you mean misinformed?

most of the events are the same in the world, the places change. a hurricane here, a hurricane there. so i don't miss too much of the world anyway.

plus i use twitter, so i do get a broad idea of what's happening in the world.

and lastly it's more like, not my monkey, not my circus kinda approach that I've developed in the last few years. I know about the things that I do and control and my surroundings. North Korea testing a hydrogen bomb really isn't my beeswax.

I agree that like most people I don't really care about events that are far away from where I live but .

Well if other platforms can be manipulated, why not Twitter?

 

[Pakistanian]

Indians and Russians are the most guilty of this.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

I agree that like most people I don't really care about events that are far away from where I live but .

Well if other platforms can be manipulated, why not Twitter?

of course it can be and is manipulated.

that's the point, i don't need to know the news or the opinion, just a little know how that doesn't make me look like someone from stone age has just woken up recently.