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Originally posted by transmundane
Originally posted by lambs to lions
Inevitably there will always be those who create accounts on ATS for less than sincere interest in alternative news or conspiracy theories. I'll go ahead and disregard the bored pimple faced teenagers looking for a giggle and focus on the others... My question to you guys is 'why?'
Lately, I've noticed more and more pop up. Typically their threads and posts stick out like a sore thumb. It's obvious there is no real interest in the topic, and by and large the posts are quickly thrown together or even incoherent. What's confusing is many of these bogus members aren't posting out of this world claims for attention, or other obvious reasons.
Are they phishing attempts? Profiling? Gauging members interest in a topic?
Does it have something to do with the 2012 popularity?
What gives????
I have a theory drawn from the world of advertising. It involves repetition -- a sort of "flooding the airwaves" with messages in order to drown out others. I point to Apple (sorry to any fans out there), as an example of this. Their devices are not really exceptional in most cases (I have better insight into this than probably most of the population) -- not necessarily worse than anything out there, but when you pop these devices open and see "Samsung" and "Intel" and other names on the chips and other components, then discover that iOS is actually a re-write of BSD, etc., and these are sold at a higher price than products from those same competing companies (who presumably make their products just a little bit better for themselves), it becomes obvious that Apple's popularity is due mostly to the way it presents itself -- i.e. marketing.
I don't want to belabor that point, I'm sure there are other examples we can pull if this one offends. Apple is beside the point anyways.
I try to pull out a bit whenever I can, to get a "meta" view of the situation whenever possible.
In the case of Apple, they obviously saw a market. In the case of ATS, I suspect much the same thing.
This could mean that either some topics here are starting to hit a little too close to home (i.e. the truth), or that someone sees the community here as a fertile market that they need to infiltrate. Maybe a bit of both. Either way, it's kind of a positive sign -- something here is worth the effort!
Originally posted by lambs to lions
reply to post by TheLieWeLive
I've noticed three threads started in the last 24 hours that were hastily thrown together with little to no content. The posters were all brand new members who hit their post count and started a thread. The mods have done a good job closing them down. I wish I could name names but I can't. Anyways, I'm curious what the purpose for these threads are? There seemingly is no point, but why go through the trouble? Bizarre.
Originally posted by TheCanuckian
reply to post by The X
Do you wear a tin foil hat as well?
In all honesty much of what you say is assumption, for all we know these people could just be bored children or competitors trying to make this site worse so theirs look better.
That is far more viable then "shills" and "disinfo" agents wouldn't you say?
edit on 13-12-2012 by TheCanuckian because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Merriman Weir
Originally posted by Eidolon23
Originally posted by Merriman Weir
However, the question still stands, what would disinfo agents actually achieve here? There's no consensus and the user demographic has a very pretty wide spread. There's actually no need for disinfo agents to be here as, whatever they'd hope to achieve, occurs without their intervention. And if that's the case, what's the basis for thinking that they're actually here and making a difference?edit on 13-12-2012 by Merriman Weir because: .
The wide demographic spread and the relatively large user base, as well as the fringe nature of many of the topics make this an ideal testing ground, wouldn't you say? You could play with things like spin strength, polarization and user response.
That's just one possibility, I'm certain that if you were inclined, you could posit others.
edit on 13-12-2012 by Eidolon23 because: (no reason given)
No, if anything it's the worst testing ground imaginable as due to the demographic and ideological spread, it's harder to quantify any results. How would they know it's them that's actually made the 'difference' when the 'difference' will occur without their presence?
According to Lynnae Williams, former CIA clandestine service trainee and DIA analyst, the FBI and CIA use trolls to monitor social media and interact with users to discredit information disseminated on the web. Williams explains that the CIA provides training videos to new recruits on how to troll the internet. Once a target is locked-in, all open source information is obtained on the individual, and then any angle to discredit them in public forum is used on social media sites.
A study, written for U.S. Special Operations Command, suggested "clandestinely recruiting or hiring prominent bloggers."
As we have often warned, chat rooms, social networks and particularly article comment sections are routinely “gamed” by trolls, many of whom pose as numerous different people in order to create a fake consensus, who attempt to debunk whatever information is being discussed, no matter how credible and well documented. We have seen this on our own websites for years and although some of those individuals were acting of their own accord, a significant number appeared to be working in shifts, routinely posting the same talking points over and over again.
Originally posted by Cosmic911
I've noticed members are quick to accuse others of trolling or being disinformation agents when they disagree or can't think of anything intelligent to post.
The US military is developing software that will let it secretly manipulate social media sites by using fake online personas to influence internet conversations and spread pro-American propaganda.
A Californian corporation has been awarded a contract with United States Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US armed operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, to develop what is described as an "online persona management service" that will allow one US serviceman or woman to control up to 10 separate identities based all over the world.