Goverment Hires Internet Trolls to Disrupt Online Forums

Text You've probably run into them before -- those seemingly random antagonizers who always end up diverting the conversation in an online chat room or article comment section away from the issue at hand, and towards a much different agenda. Hot-button issues like illegal immigration, the two-party political system, the "war on terror" and even alternative medicine are among the most common targets of such attackers, known as internet "trolls" or "shills," who in many cases are nothing more than paid lackeys hired by the federal government and other international organizations to sway and ultimately control public opinion.

Source

Most of us here at ATS won't be surprised that paid Goverment shills target online forums and chat rooms. This article discusses how the Government, CIA, NSA and other assorted alphabet agencies actively recruit college students to disrupt and derail online discussion on conspiracy sites. I think we all have seen certain posters that consistently try to destroy open, intelligent debate on a variety of controversial topics. There are a few on ATS that I personally suspect of being on the Goverment payroll. Do you think that this is going on or are we just being paranoid?

Conspiracy websites are typically the most heavily targeted by government officials.

Hmmm.

That is absolutely ludicrous...sorry, but no.

reply to post by Metallicus


How does one apply for that posiiton, I need some part time work, my food stampa are running out?

reply to post by Metallicus


Personnally, I think that would be a sweet gig. I'm sure it does exist, but wonder just what the job title would be. And what the qualifications require?

Think about it for a second. Getting paid to troll and basically be a dick. You would be fairly stress free most of the time as you could vent at any given time. Of course the trick would be to not get banned.

reply to post by Metallicus

LOL - you know you're in Backwardsassville when the government hires propaganda minions to troll discussion forums rather than actually clean up the train wreck of a reputation it has.

Pathetic.

I posted a story back in 2010 were China was doing this, so why not here in the US too.

Heres a link to the old thread ATS Thread Link

reply to post by Metallicus


Of course they do and of course they are on ATS, just from the fact alone that a few murderers have joined and posted on this site is reason enough to monitor what is going on here. Then you also have alot of anti government types that are not shy about telling everyone how they feel, I would bet a months salary this site is heavily monitored.

I bet they are less subtle then you would think, masters at making others derail, hell you see it all the time on here, click a popular thread with alot of replies then fast forward to the last page ...

reply to post by Metallicus


Didn't the current administration start a campaign for online advocacy for Obamacare?

SnF!

Bragi
That is absolutely ludicrous...sorry, but no.

Actually it's the truth.. I trained with guys who were supposed to be doing things similar to this, but a little different. We all had clearances (I didn't do psychological operations). You guys have to realize there are special jobs in the Army for this type of thing. They don't just use these techniques to sway "enemy combatants."

Heck they make whole websites just for this purpose to attract people and then track and sway them.
read: "Honeypots"

You guys are all doing the same thing. You just maybe don't realize it.

Or another angle What do you think a commercial is? The people in those commercials are paid shills. When consciousness and thoughts are worth more than $8.00/an hour you can bet somebody will pay that.

You have to be misinformed if you don't know about sock puppet accounts (bots) and the like.


I'll end with this. What is worth more to the government:
A) 50 million dollars
B) majority public support for a war

I don't think I could do it personally, but then again I am jobless... For topics I already have an opinion on like say gun control I would gladly take money from the NRA to go after all of you on here. say $20.00/hour

There is a supply of people who would do this, and there is a demand for doing this. There's really nothing else to it, especially when this is already public knowledge.

The Guardian

Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media
Military's 'sock puppet' software creates fake online identities to spread pro-American propaganda

BBC

Israel: Government pays students to fight internet battles
Students in Israel are to form government-funded "covert units" to defend the country on Facebook and Twitter, it's reported.

Are we denying reality at this late stage in the game?

reply to post by Tazkven


I wonder how they are paid. By the Post? or by proving how they derailed a thread?

Is it piece rate or a hourly wage?

And maybe the most important part, Can they do the job from home, getting paid to post while sitting in their underwear and drinking beer? LOL

reply to post by Dustytoad


Ah, a fellow CAPOC Guy/Gal?

I guarantee you that there are people who cut their teeth here at ATS learning the ropes.

beezzer
reply to post by Metallicus

 

Didn't the current administration start a campaign for online advocacy for Obamacare?

SnF!

Most likely. We already know that Obama had a "Truth Team" during his last campaign and has also created a "Behavioral Insight Team" and "Nudge Squad".

TDawgRex
reply to post by Dustytoad

 

Ah, a fellow CAPOC Guy/Gal?

I guarantee you that there are people who cut their teeth here at ATS learning the ropes.

No I was not Civil Affairs or Psyops, but anyway..
I was around people.

and that wouldn't surprise me either.

We've had some agents on here from China and Iran. They were easy to spot. Still have at least one from Iran that I can think of. However, I haven't seen people on ATS who look like US gov't agents to me. Some O-bots for sure. But just because someone has an opinion that is different or kinda whacky like hugg'n on Obama all the time ... that doesn't make them an agent. I have no doubt this site is monitored and the gov't may be keeping files on certain posters but as for U.S. agents trying to disrupt things .. if they are on here trying to do it they aren't doing a very good job of it.

reply to post by TDawgRex


You are actually making the job sound more appealing. Being paid to get drunk and scratch myself while annoying people almost sounds like a good job, lol.

@bragi. Aha! I knew you were a shill!

reply to post by Metallicus


Well, I don't think you have to worry much about that here.
They LOVE us.

Hell... we OWN those guys.

ATS is training ground for the Rookies.

Don't Say I Never Mentioned It.

S&F

commision based pay perhaps ...that's an easy way to make money for people whom have no moral ...well anything....we could run a poll ....who should be knee capped first parking cops or trolls....how these people managed to crawl out of the abortion bucket is beyond me...

I spend too much time here anyway. Where do I apply?

Metallicus
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

You are actually making the job sound more appealing. Being paid to get drunk and scratch myself while annoying people almost sounds like a good job, lol.

Hell, maybe you could even get a part-time job at the local brewery as Quality control (Taste tester). Getting paid by both jobs (and free beer) to be a drunken ass. THAT WOULD BE EPIC!

How'd Charlie Sheen put it?

WINNING! LOL

TDawgRex
reply to post by Tazkven

 

And maybe the most important part, Can they do the job from home, getting paid to post while sitting in their underwear and drinking beer? LOL

Hell, I am at work doing that very thing right now ...

How was that mental image?