Russian professional troll networks are a thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_brigades
A collection of leaked documents, published by Moy Rayon, suggests that work at the "troll den" is strictly regulated by a set of guidelines. Any blog post written by an agency employee, according to the leaked files, must contain "no fewer than 700 characters" during day shifts and "no fewer than 1,000 characters" on night shifts. Use of graphics and keywords in the post's body and headline is also mandatory. In addition to general guidelines, bloggers are also provided with "technical tasks" – keywords and talking points on specific issues, such as Ukraine, Russia's internal opposition and relations with the West.[21] On an average working day, the workers 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.[33]
The Russian Troll Army
The Russian Troll Army
"God" is the original deus ex machina. --Maksutov
Re: The Russian Troll Army
How does this differ from the American Conservative Troll Army, other than the AM radio talk show broadcasts and aluminum foil hats?
Cry Heaven and let loose the Penguins of Peace
Re: The Russian Troll Army
moksha wrote:How does this differ from the American Conservative Troll Army, other than the AM radio talk show broadcasts and aluminum foil hats?
Hmm. That sounds like a trick question. What conspiracy do you represent?
"God" is the original deus ex machina. --Maksutov
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Re: The Russian Troll Army
moksha wrote:How does this differ from the American Conservative Troll Army
They're paid to do it with a specific aim of altering culture to their political advantage whereas the trolls you are talking about tend to be less ambitious and more personal in their goals. I also think some of the people you think of as trolls are actually sincere, but just very misinformed and/or stupid.
Sub does for free what some Russians 9 to 5 for.
Re: The Russian Troll Army
BUT BUT Drumpf is rich and got elected. Plus Hillary's E-Mails.
Re: The Russian Troll Army
OTOH, has the USA ever done anything like this? 
https://www.rt.com/usa/us-attacks-cyber-war-615/
From the article published 5 years ago...
Mike McConnell, the former director of national intelligence at the National Security Agency under George W Bush, tells Reuters this week that cyber war is more than a distant possibility. According to the current vice chairman at Booz Allen Hamilton, the US has already launched attacks on the computer networks of other nations.
McConnell did not add any input as to what countries have been hit with American cyber warfare in the past, but he did confirm that the US has already used the ability. When asked by Reuters if the United States had the capability to destroy the computer system of an adversary, McConnell responded “Yes.” When asked if it worked, he confirmed “yes” as well.
"Do we have the ability to attack, degrade or destroy? Sure. If you do that, what are the consequences? That is the question,” added McConnell.
Although the former spy chief neglected to name any countries that have been the target of American attacks, the US is believed by some to be the culprit behind a virus that targeted computer systems in Iran in 2010. Stuxnet, an advanced computer worm discovered in June of that year, impacted the computers used in conjunction with Iran’s nuclear program. In a January 2011 article in the New York Times, an American nuclear intelligence expert speaking on condition of anonymity said that the Israelis were behind Stuxnet, placing the blame on one of America’s most important allies. The expert adds in the article that Israel did indeed work hand-in-hand with the US in perfect Stuxnet before sending it to the Iranian networks, but that Washington wanted “plausible deniability.”
https://www.rt.com/usa/us-attacks-cyber-war-615/
From the article published 5 years ago...
Mike McConnell, the former director of national intelligence at the National Security Agency under George W Bush, tells Reuters this week that cyber war is more than a distant possibility. According to the current vice chairman at Booz Allen Hamilton, the US has already launched attacks on the computer networks of other nations.
McConnell did not add any input as to what countries have been hit with American cyber warfare in the past, but he did confirm that the US has already used the ability. When asked by Reuters if the United States had the capability to destroy the computer system of an adversary, McConnell responded “Yes.” When asked if it worked, he confirmed “yes” as well.
"Do we have the ability to attack, degrade or destroy? Sure. If you do that, what are the consequences? That is the question,” added McConnell.
Although the former spy chief neglected to name any countries that have been the target of American attacks, the US is believed by some to be the culprit behind a virus that targeted computer systems in Iran in 2010. Stuxnet, an advanced computer worm discovered in June of that year, impacted the computers used in conjunction with Iran’s nuclear program. In a January 2011 article in the New York Times, an American nuclear intelligence expert speaking on condition of anonymity said that the Israelis were behind Stuxnet, placing the blame on one of America’s most important allies. The expert adds in the article that Israel did indeed work hand-in-hand with the US in perfect Stuxnet before sending it to the Iranian networks, but that Washington wanted “plausible deniability.”
"God" is the original deus ex machina. --Maksutov
Re: The Russian Troll Army
It is not illegal for Russians/Iranians/whomever to meddle with our electronic systems. IE; Our elections. It is illegal for Americans to do it.