Russia Invades Internet With An Army Of Trolls

Posted by | June 3, 2014 06:27 | Filed under: Contributors Mark Quincy Adams Opinion Politics Top Stories

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If you’ve noticed an unusual amount of pro-Russian commentators on your favorite websites recently you may have come across some well-organized, well paid agents working for Vladimir Putin. Buzzfeed has found evidence pointing to a comprehensive online campaign by the Kremlin to sway American Public opinion toward Russia.

The documents show instructions provided to the commentators that detail the workload expected of them. On an average working day, the Russians are to post on news articles 50 times. Each blogger is to maintain six Facebook accounts publishing at least three posts a day and discussing the news in groups at least twice a day. By the end of the first month, they are expected to have won 500 subscribers and get at least five posts on each item a day. On Twitter, the bloggers are expected to manage 10 accounts with up to 2,000 followers and tweet 50 times a day

Perhaps piggy backing on the rabid Obama hating and Snowden sympathizing already present online, websites such as The Blaze, World Net Daily and Politico have seen a surge in anti-American commentary from their readers. But instead of middle aged American bloggers sitting in their parent’s basements, some of these may be originating from professional internet trolls tapping their keyboard from all across Russia.

Several people who follow the Russian internet closely told BuzzFeed the Internet Research Energy is only one of several firms believed to be employing pro-Kremlin comment trolls. That has long been suspected based on the comments under articles about Russia on many other sites, such as Kremlin propaganda network RT’s wildly successful YouTube channel. The editor of The Guardian’s opinion page recently claimed that the site was the victim of an “orchestrated campaign.”

It is not yet known just how far-reaching this effort from the Kremlin is. However, it does appear to have cast a very wide web across the world. Also uncertain is whether or not the surprising sympathy Snowden and Putin have received in some quarters across the U.S. is a result of this propaganda program or merely a coincidence. Nevertheless, they are working in concert with each other proving to be some strange bedfellows indeed.

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Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Mark Quincy Adams

A proud 'pragmatic progressive' Mark Quincy Adams has been a political
talk show host and prolific pontificator since 1992. Find him on Facebook and Twitter @politicalglutton

40 responses to Russia Invades Internet With An Army Of Trolls

  1. Marcus June 3rd, 2014 at 07:17

    “If you’ve noticed an unusual amount of pro-Russian commentators on your favorite websites recently . . .”

    Here’s an unsolicited grammar lesson for you. I hope you’ll accept it in the spirit in which it is offered. You should have used the word “number” instead of the word “amount.” Amount is used for anything that can not be counted individually, like water or air. You should use the word “number” for things that can be counted individually, as in “number of commentators.”

    • Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 08:13

      Every day’s a good day to learn something new. Speaking for myself, thanks!

    • fancypants June 3rd, 2014 at 08:33

      I think marcus is telling you that Russians hate poor grammar too
      keep up the good work alan

  2. Marcus June 3rd, 2014 at 07:17

    “If you’ve noticed an unusual amount of pro-Russian commentators on your favorite websites recently . . .”

    Here’s an unsolicited grammar lesson for you. I hope you’ll accept it in the spirit in which it is offered. You should have used the word “number” instead of the word “amount.” Amount is used for anything that can not be counted individually, like water or air. You should use the word “number” for things that can be counted individually, as in “number of commentators.”

    • Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 08:13

      Every day’s a good day to learn something new. Speaking for myself, thanks!

    • fancypants June 3rd, 2014 at 08:33

      I think marcus is telling you that Russians hate poor grammar too
      keep up the good work alan

  3. Marcus June 3rd, 2014 at 07:19

    P.S. I hope you understand my suggestion was not meant as criticism but as a suggestion to help you in your future writing endeavors.

  4. Marcus June 3rd, 2014 at 07:19

    P.S. I hope you understand my suggestion was not meant as criticism but as a suggestion to help you in your future writing endeavors.

  5. William June 3rd, 2014 at 07:29

    Ever wonder why Russians write such great anti virus programs? They write the best virus’s.

  6. William June 3rd, 2014 at 07:29

    Ever wonder why Russians write such great anti virus programs? They write the best virus’s.

  7. Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 08:13

    Did we have a visit from one of these guys a couple of days ago?

    • Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 09:08

      The reason I ask is he said he wasn’t from the US and he posted a wikipedia link he’d obviously never read, as it showed the exact opposite of what he claimed it would say, not to mention was off-topic. That led me to assume he’d been given propaganda to push. Most trolls have at least read their links.

      • mea_mark June 3rd, 2014 at 09:45

        Do you remember what story or who it was by any chance?

        • Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 11:25

          Yes, this one. http://www.alan.com/2014/06/01/john-bolton-obama-despicable-for-negotiating-release-of-american-pow/ The name is EstebanCafe. His posts seemed odd but as he said he wasn’t from this country I’d chalked it up to an ESL issue. JasperJava is the one who clicked his link and confronted him on it. As far as I can tell, he disappeared after that. The accusation was that Obama was the only president who refused to release his grades and this link listed all the president’s grades, Obama excluded. In fact, it was simply a listing of all the colleges the presidents attended, including five entries for Obama. His post with the link is towards the end of the comments. A brief scan quickly sums up the content, so he’d obviously never laid eyes on the Wikipedia page.

  8. Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 08:13

    Did we have a visit from one of these guys a couple of days ago?

    • Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 09:08

      The reason I ask is he said he wasn’t from the US and he posted a wikipedia link he’d obviously never read, as it showed the exact opposite of what he claimed it would say, not to mention was off-topic. That led me to assume he’d been given propaganda to push. Most trolls have at least read their links.

      • mea_mark June 3rd, 2014 at 09:45

        Do you remember what story or who it was by any chance?

        • Shades June 3rd, 2014 at 11:25

          Yes, this one. http://www.alan.com/2014/06/01/john-bolton-obama-despicable-for-negotiating-release-of-american-pow/ The name is EstebanCafe. His posts seemed odd but as he said he wasn’t from this country I’d chalked it up to an ESL issue. JasperJava is the one who clicked his link and confronted him on it. As far as I can tell, he disappeared after that. After numerous, arrogant posts, he made the accusation that Obama was the only president who refused to release his grades and this link listed all the president’s grades, Obama excluded. In fact, it was simply a listing of all the colleges the presidents attended, including five entries for Obama. His post with the link is towards the end of the comments. A brief scan quickly sums up the content, so he’d obviously never laid eyes on the Wikipedia page.

  9. Anomaly 100 June 3rd, 2014 at 08:36

    Oh I see, so that’s what Congress is up to.

  10. Anomaly 100 June 3rd, 2014 at 08:36

    Oh I see, so that’s what Congress is up to.

  11. mea_mark June 3rd, 2014 at 09:13

    I wonder what exactly they consider pro-Russian? Would anti-American or anti-Obama be considered pro-Russian? It could explain why there seems to be so many trolls.

  12. mea_mark June 3rd, 2014 at 09:13

    I wonder what exactly they consider pro-Russian? Would anti-American or anti-Obama be considered pro-Russian? It could explain why there seems to be so many trolls.

  13. Tom Ward June 3rd, 2014 at 12:10

    You know, I actually had noted an increase in the number of online commentators recently who are pro-Russia, anti-Ukraine, and anti-Western media. It was alarming to me because it happened suddenly and did not make a lot of sense.
    They all try to link Ukrainian nationalism with fascism via a whole lot of speculation but not much evidence. I tell them that nationalism by itself is not necessarily a bad thing, it is legislated patriotism, whereas fascism typically involves legislated patriotism plus violence plus the persecution of minorities. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that nationalists and secessionists are going to have very heated disagreements because their viewpoints are extremely opposed. If nationalists become violent to deal with a violent secessionists, sorry but that doesn’t necessarily make the nationalist a fascist.

    • Dwendt44 June 3rd, 2014 at 12:19

      That’s different than the wacky right how exactly?

  14. Tom Ward June 3rd, 2014 at 12:10

    You know, I actually had noted an increase in the number of online commentators recently who are pro-Russia, anti-Ukraine, and anti-Western media. It was alarming to me because it happened suddenly and did not make a lot of sense.
    They all try to link Ukrainian nationalism with fascism via a whole lot of speculation but not much evidence. I tell them that nationalism by itself is not necessarily a bad thing, it is legislated patriotism, whereas fascism typically involves legislated patriotism plus violence plus the persecution of minorities. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that nationalists and secessionists are going to have very heated disagreements because their viewpoints are extremely opposed. If nationalists become violent to deal with a violent secessionists, sorry but that doesn’t necessarily make the nationalist a fascist.

    • Dwendt44 June 3rd, 2014 at 12:19

      That’s different than the wacky right how exactly?

  15. Jeff June 4th, 2014 at 08:32

    Actually, it sounds like he learned well from Obama. Maybe we’ll see Putin Girl soon? She may even be available as one of those Russian mail order brides! ;-)

  16. Jeff June 4th, 2014 at 08:32

    Actually, it sounds like he learned well from Obama. Maybe we’ll see Putin Girl soon? She may even be available as one of those Russian mail order brides! ;-)

  17. revrocky210 June 23rd, 2014 at 01:11

    Coming to a theater near you: “WHITE HOUSE-GROWN TERRORISTS” starring Obaba Black Sheep (pulling the wool over our eyes) and Eric Wholedirt (always backed up by Obaba). Surprise ending when they disappear ! (Reviewers are invited to Google “Revealed: The Destroyer of Obama’s Tyranny” and “The Background Obama Can’t Cover Up.”)

  18. revrocky210 June 23rd, 2014 at 01:11

    Coming to a theater near you: “WHITE HOUSE-GROWN TERRORISTS” starring Obaba Black Sheep (pulling the wool over our eyes) and Eric Wholedirt (always backed up by Obaba). Surprise ending when they disappear ! (Reviewers are invited to Google “Revealed: The Destroyer of Obama’s Tyranny” and “The Background Obama Can’t Cover Up.”)

  19. Шарикъ Шарикъ June 26th, 2014 at 09:05

    as for trolls, it is the West that first began to hire trolls since long ago, not only on the www, but also in the World mass media.

  20. Шарикъ Шарикъ June 26th, 2014 at 09:05

    as for trolls, it is the West that first began to hire trolls since long ago, not only on the www, but also in the World mass media.

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