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Are there paid shills, hired trolls, and web bots on boards.ie?

1246

Comments

  • #92
    Biggest lickspittle on boardz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 558 ✭✭✭Biggest lickspittle on boardz


    Just out of curiosity, I wonder if boards would accept 'donations' to push certain political opinions? I strongly suspect at least one Irish online site is already doing this.


  • #93
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,231 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Biggest lickspittle on boardz wrote: »
    So, my question is this-how would boards.ie know if there are paid shills and automated web bot accounts, and what can they do about it?
    They'd only know if I was foolish enough to post about it. S'pose they'd probably ban me or something?

    I don't think I'll ever be caught though. I'm way too smart.


  • #94
    mariaalice
    Registered Users Posts: 12,361 ✭✭✭✭mariaalice


    If it worked it would mean most of the population are stupid and are open to manipulation I just don't think people are that stupid social media has had it day in that sense.

    The 'influences', PR and social marketers want to believe it works more that anything else and of course there are a few stupid people out there.


  • #95
    Gatling
    Registered Users Posts: 40,291 ✭✭✭✭Gatling


    We've a few posters who are extremely good at waffling about vlaidi Putin in Moscow but don't ever seem to have anything to say about Irish issues ,or Europe, movies ,
    Just Putin odd considering we've very little in common with Russia .
    360_F_102352090_ie3kLjDIvgrT1sxVDknWCUh8PxgMYzM7.jpg




  • #96
    mbur
    Registered Users Posts: 521 ✭✭✭mbur


    There are all sorts here. Even some nice people who agree with my opinions. But the thing to note while here on boards.ie is that there are no less than 32 potential trackers following you around on this site. If you install the Privacy Badger addon on you browser you can see what they are. The big mystery is what are they all looking for or hoping to find out about you???


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  • #97
    donegaLroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭donegaLroad


    mbur wrote: »
    There are all sorts here. Even some nice people who agree with my opinions. But the thing to note while here on boards.ie is that there are no less than 32 potential trackers following you around on this site. If you install the Privacy Badger addon on you browser you can see what they are. The big mystery is what are they all looking for or hoping to find out about you???


    Looking for people with possible dissident Republican connections, or strong leanings towards movements with extreme views.


  • #98
    diomed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,744 ✭✭✭diomed


    There is a spelling error on theat Sinn Fein online sign up page.
    "The internet and social media are transforming politics around the world and here in Ireland."

    It should be 26 counties.


  • #99
    JenovaProject
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,299 ✭✭✭JenovaProject


    diomed wrote: »
    There is a spelling error on theat Sinn Fein online sign up page.

    It should be 26 counties.

    Sinn Fein online and spelling errors....sounds familiar


  • #100
    wakka12
    Registered Users Posts: 9,786 ✭✭✭wakka12


    Biggest lickspittle on boardz wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, I wonder if boards would accept 'donations' to push certain political opinions? I strongly suspect at least one Irish online site is already doing this.

    Lots of tabloid newspapers pages on Facebook will quite blatantly push certain political opinions. Making fun of trump , other popular left wing things, whatever about those issues its completely unprofessional for a newspaper be any way subjective . Its low even for a tabloid


  • #101
    server down
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭server down


    Gatling wrote: »
    We've a few posters who are extremely good at waffling about vlaidi Putin in Moscow but don't ever seem to have anything to say about Irish issues ,or Europe, movies ,
    Just Putin odd considering we've very little in common with Russia .

    Lol. I think you’re posting from Langley.


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  • #102
    tomofson
    Registered Users Posts: 1,651 ✭✭✭tomofson


    Thats really only dawning on you now?


  • #103
    PeterParker957
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,177 ✭✭✭PeterParker957


    Given that Sky News website had upwards of 25 stories about the Rohynga in Myanmar with all of them promoting one side of the story I'd say that news sites are already promoting their agenda


  • #104
    Prune Tracy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 162 ✭✭Prune Tracy


    Sky News is usually anti muslim. How could there be any other side really to the Rohingya people's plight - there are innocent civilian families enduring unimaginable mistreatment by a brutal Myanmar military (which has been brutal to its own people too). That's all there is to it really.


  • #105
    PeterParker957
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,177 ✭✭✭PeterParker957


    Prune Tracy wrote: »
    Sky News is usually anti muslim. How could there be any other side really to the Rohingya people's plight - there are innocent civilian families enduring unimaginable mistreatment by a brutal Myanmar military (which has been brutal to its own people too). That's all there is to it really.

    I'd agree to a point but it's not a black and white issue. The Rohynga are not angels in this.


  • #106
    Prune Tracy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 162 ✭✭Prune Tracy


    PeterParker957 wrote: »
    I'd agree to a point but it's not a black and white issue. The Rohynga are not angels in this.
    Maybe the militants aren't but innocent civilians are bearing the brunt as usual.


  • #107
    donegaLroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭donegaLroad


    I dunno but Im suspicious of the guy who started the 'how big is your telly' thread. He could be working for the TV license dept.


  • #108
    Billy86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,495 ✭✭✭✭Billy86


    Madalynn Tasty Barrier wrote: »
    I always took one of the posters in the politics section as a putinbot.
    Well there was one poster who couldn't twist and turn fast enough to agree with everything Putin related, from the US election to Ukraine, but they've not posted in a good eight months. I mentioned in one of the threads though that there has been a 'peculiar' uptick in the number of abortion themed threads on AH in recent weeks, it'll be interesting to see if that continues to ramp up and up between now and the referendum.

    Typically though, I wouldn't expect it on here much. You can find them on reddit really easily in any subreddit based on politics, abortion, or anything along those lines (they usually beef their accounts up early on with memes, sports and gaming posts to get easy upvotes and to look like a genuine account).

    It makes more sense for them to move in waves, and while we did have a wave of pro Trump accounts register in the months leading up to the US election that quickly vanished after as another example, I really don't think boards is a big enough target or Ireland a 'relevant' enough player for it to be worth the effort, and by and large these guys tend to try to hit hard and fast en-masse to control the narrative, rather than individually where their comments can just slip through the net unnoticed. If we had another Lisbon referendum type situation though (and I suppose for some interests, abortion would qualify) then I could see them having use on boards.

    Good, quick video on how these accounts work on Reddit in particular for anyone confused (the same principle easily translates into other platforms like Twitter, and while I'm sure there are other methods it also shows why this type on a 'traditional' forum setup like boards would be less successful e.g. no upvote system for prominence).


  • #109
    server down
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭server down


    Billy86 wrote: »
    Well there was one poster who couldn't twist and turn fast enough to agree with everything Putin related, from the US election to Ukraine, but they've not posted in a good eight months. I mentioned in one of the threads though that there has been a 'peculiar' uptick in the number of abortion themed threads on AH in recent weeks, it'll be interesting to see if that continues to ramp up and up between now and the referendum.

    Typically though, I wouldn't expect it on here much. You can find them on reddit really easily in any subreddit based on politics, abortion, or anything along those lines (they usually beef their accounts up early on with memes, sports and gaming posts to get easy upvotes and to look like a genuine account).

    It makes more sense for them to move in waves, and while we did have a wave of pro Trump accounts register in the months leading up to the US election that quickly vanished after as another example, I really don't think boards is a big enough target or Ireland a 'relevant' enough player for it to be worth the effort, and by and large these guys tend to try to hit hard and fast en-masse to control the narrative, rather than individually where their comments can just slip through the net unnoticed. If we had another Lisbon referendum type situation though (and I suppose for some interests, abortion would qualify) then I could see them having use on boards.

    Good, quick video on how these accounts work on Reddit in particular for anyone confused (the same principle easily translates into other platforms like Twitter, and while I'm sure there are other methods it also shows why this type on a 'traditional' forum setup like boards would be less successful e.g. no upvote system for prominence).

    You realise that not everybody who disagrees with you is a Russian bot.


  • #110
    Prune Tracy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 162 ✭✭Prune Tracy


    server down wrote: »
    You realise that not everybody who disagrees with you is a Russian bot.
    I'd say he does definitely and is referring to people who defend Vlad no matter what, and twist and downplay facts relating to Vlad, as Russia bots... rather than just those who disagree with him. ;)


  • #111
    Billy86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,495 ✭✭✭✭Billy86


    server down wrote: »
    You realise that not everybody who disagrees with you is a Russian bot.
    Sounds like something a bot would say... :D

    Like I said though, I doubt there are much if any on here. The way boards works doesn't make it all that beneficial, since 150 'likes' doesn't get your post any closer to the first page, or the most recent one either. Meanwhile though they are very prominent on the likes of reddit and Twitter, some through purpose dedicated troll factories like the Internet Research Agency in St. Petersburg, others more as independent contractors who will support whatever you (the client) want to pay them to support.


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  • #112
    server down
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭server down


    Prune Tracy wrote: »
    I'd say he does definitely and is referring to people who defend Vlad no matter what, and twist and downplay facts relating to Vlad, as Russia bots... rather than just those who disagree with him. ;)

    It’s perfectly reasonable to see the anti-Russian hysteria for what it is. A new McCarthyism.

    It’s also perfectly reasonable to not agree with American or western foreign policy.


  • #113
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    There's rumours some of the boards mods are trolls. They've been reported as being homeless and living under bridges.
    They can apparently distinguish between sheep and goats crossing their bridge and eat the goats :D


  • #114
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    server down wrote: »
    It’s perfectly reasonable to see the anti-Russian hysteria for what it is. A new McCarthyism.

    It’s also perfectly reasonable to not agree with American or western foreign policy.


    2hcqn.jpg


  • #115
    Prune Tracy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 162 ✭✭Prune Tracy


    server down wrote: »
    It’s perfectly reasonable to see the anti-Russian hysteria for what it is. A new McCarthyism.
    What?! :pac:

    There are witch hunts of Russian people with them losing their jobs?

    How is criticism of Vlad = anti Russian. Nobody is saying he is all Russian people.

    And what about those in the middle (like me) who can see positives to him (strong leadership, improved economy) and can understand why the people of Russia like having him as their leader, but can also see negative aspects of concern?

    To refuse to acknowledge any wrongdoings whatsoever and to condemn any criticism backed up by facts is to be brainwashed.
    It’s also perfectly reasonable to not agree with American or western foreign policy.
    Of course it is - I don't see anything to the contrary.


  • #116
    jonnny68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,670 ✭✭✭jonnny68


    Yep everywhere, remember at the height of the water charges protests the journal.ie had numerous Fine Gael /pro water charges paid trolls who were caught out but continued on relentlessly.


  • #117
    server down
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭server down


    Prune Tracy wrote: »
    What?! :pac:

    There are witch hunts of Russian people with them losing their jobs?

    McCarthyism wasn’t a witch hunt of Russian people. I’d do the Piccard facepalm but I leave that kind of argument to morons. It was a belief that the Russians were influencing American politics via internal political organisations like the communists.
    How is criticism of Vlad = anti Russian. Nobody is saying he is all Russian people.

    This is a thread about Russian “bots” on boards. It’s not about Putin. I didn’t mention Putin.
    And what about those in the middle (like me) who can see positives to him (strong leadership, improved economy) and can understand why the people of Russia like having him as their leader, but can also see negative aspects of concern?

    To refuse to acknowledge any wrongdoings whatsoever and to condemn any criticism backed up by facts is to be brainwashed.

    Again the thread isn’t about Putin. It’s about Russians under the bed. I didn’t mention Putin.
    Of course it is - I don't see anything to the contrary.

    Oh a lot of the commentators here will cry Russian if you criticise us foreign policy.


  • #118
    server down
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭server down


    A good example of the links between McCarthyism and the present Russian hysteria

    https://mobile.twitter.com/jimcarrey/status/929394238621564928?lang=en

    Remarkable that the US now sees themselves as victims in the war against Vietnam.


  • #119
    WinnyThePoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,417 ✭✭✭WinnyThePoo


    server down wrote: »
    A good example of the links between McCarthyism and the present Russian hysteria

    https://mobile.twitter.com/jimcarrey/status/929394238621564928?lang=en

    Remarkable that the US now sees themselves as victims in the war against Vietnam.

    Whatever you say comrade. What ever you say.


  • #120
    Army_of_One
    Closed Accounts Posts: 258 ✭✭Army_of_One


    Exhibit 1 : https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057383413

    Just a heads up but there's an awful bang of Putin smegma off that thread


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  • #121
    server down
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭server down


    WinnyThePoo wrote: »
    Whatever you say comrade. What ever you say.

    You don’t think so? You believe the US war in Vietnam to be legit.


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