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120. Locking

Fri Jan 11, 2013, 06:05 PM

Jan 2013

Due to the sourcing of this piece, a consensus has been reached that it does not fit the SoP of this Forum, but could be posted to another Group, such as Creative Speculation.

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120 replies

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I Was a Paid Internet Shill: How Shadowy Groups Manipulate Internet Opinion and Debate [View all] JeffHead Jan 2013 OP

Some try to be "undercover" but some are quite open about it Electric Monk Jan 2013 #1

hey, where do I get a job like that? spending all day getting paid to write stuff online? niyad Jan 2013 #2

my first thought too - where can I sign up to do that liberally? RainDog Jan 2013 #20

tell me about it--I lobbied for years, didn't make a dime (of course, I was working for women's niyad Jan 2013 #22

My wallet's biggest complaint is that I have scruples arcane1 Jan 2013 #25

Paid shills backed by sophisticated psychology. Scary shit. Scuba Jan 2013 #3

You have no idea... galileoreloaded Jan 2013 #31

I'm learning. Now reading Drew Westen's "The Political Brain". Very interesting read. Scuba Jan 2013 #78

Also advanced computer resources. They can shell post and get around spam filters, etc. Very fast. freshwest Jan 2013 #45

Interesting... Luminous Animal Jan 2013 #4

This happens to me on a daily basis MannyGoldstein Jan 2013 #6

Good on you for extracting apologies rare as it has been. Luminous Animal Jan 2013 #9

I deserve no credit MannyGoldstein Jan 2013 #72

Your post sounds kind of paranoid. You think shills focus on you? Really? KittyWampus Jan 2013 #88

they focus on posters who contradict dominant narratives. posters like m. goldstein. your post HiPointDem Jan 2013 #96

Manny's post said absolutely no such thing. He said that daily, people claim he said something he Bluenorthwest Jan 2013 #103

Manny regularly gets whacked by some very, ahem, suspicious posters, some with low Nay Jan 2013 #104

I await your apology for doing EXACTLY what I wrote about. nt MannyGoldstein Jan 2013 #108

+1. & creepy. HiPointDem Jan 2013 #95

Of course, and imagine the screen-shots they turn in for pay. nt patrice Jan 2013 #5

How do we know he's not a double shill? Confusious Jan 2013 #7

How do we know YOU're not a TRIPLE shill?!1!/?! klook Jan 2013 #17

Hmmmm. I think someone is paying you to claim that. (nt) Nye Bevan Jan 2013 #27

All of you in this subthread are suspects now. freshwest Jan 2013 #46

"Oops, I posted here, too..." ellisonz Jan 2013 #63

that does it, you're all fired. yodermon Jan 2013 #70

you people are all being paid to keep the rest of us from getting anything done. Voice for Peace Jan 2013 #68

Wait, is the check in the mail? How about direct deposit? Damn, I miss out on all the goodies... freshwest Jan 2013 #71

"If we're on film, there must be someone filming us." "My God, Betty, you're right!" A HERETIC I AM Jan 2013 #98

Ha -- sounds like a Twilight Zone episode (n/t) klook Jan 2013 #111

Good Ol' Monty Python's Flying Circus, .... A HERETIC I AM Jan 2013 #112

Gotta love the Youtube... SidDithers Jan 2013 #116

Aha, good stuff klook Jan 2013 #119

How do we know you are not one too! Rex Jan 2013 #85

I'm not familiar with conscious life news, but janx Jan 2013 #8

Conscious Life News will post any old crap, looking at it muriel_volestrangler Jan 2013 #14

Thanks, Muriel. I always check but had to bug out to the store. janx Jan 2013 #26

Even worse, the original article is from Above Top Secret...nt SidDithers Jan 2013 #35

HOLY SHIT! Who posted the OP? Must be one of THEM! You know, THEY! freshwest Jan 2013 #75

Well, ms vocal strangler, doesn't that make you suspect? grahamhgreen Jan 2013 #51

I thought the same thing when I perused their site. Flatulo Jan 2013 #58

Someone posted about that - an online generator of essays. freshwest Jan 2013 #48

I wish I could remember the name of it-- janx Jan 2013 #55

I remember reading them and posting on them.. But My Posts doesn't go back that far. freshwest Jan 2013 #65

You see such airy nonsense in online discussions--but unfortunately, tblue37 Jan 2013 #80

. riderinthestorm Jan 2013 #10

^^^^^^^^^^ ellisonz Jan 2013 #64

This was reported on DU back in 2010 and it's still going on. freshwest Jan 2013 #11

One of the most common disruptor tactics is "Let's you and him fight" posts. klook Jan 2013 #24

Good heavens-- janx Jan 2013 #28

Yeah, apparently... klook Jan 2013 #36

You HAVE to see what's up on her blog now!!! janx Jan 2013 #39

OMG!! klook Jan 2013 #47

She is penning her way janx Jan 2013 #49

OMGawd! Reminds me of Dittohead wingnut gal who posted her fantasies of being diddled by... freshwest Jan 2013 #76

I seem to remember that posting flamebait got OPs or posts deleted in DU2. Less tolerance. freshwest Jan 2013 #44

You and I have much in common, it seems, freshwest klook Jan 2013 #50

that's really great news ecstatic Jan 2013 #67

I too missed her departure. progressoid Jan 2013 #114

Dunno -- Never really paid her much attention, to tell you the truth. (n/t) klook Jan 2013 #115

Exactly this. nt Bobbie Jo Jan 2013 #84

Critical Thinking .. DemoTex Jan 2013 #12

You win this thread. Brigid Jan 2013 #74

When I first started getting online, I was on the AOL chat room a lot... Sarah Ibarruri Jan 2013 #13

Or, sometimes janx Jan 2013 #29

True lol nt Sarah Ibarruri Jan 2013 #92

It's more exhilarating when you do it for free. Like sex. Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #15

Sometimes they're very easy to spot BuelahWitch Jan 2013 #16

First published in the AboveTopSecret Forum, March 2012 muriel_volestrangler Jan 2013 #18

you really don't want us to believe this is happening CreekDog Jan 2013 #30

No, I think Muriel is just observing sources, CD. janx Jan 2013 #32

Did the other person give their name? muriel_volestrangler Jan 2013 #79

I'll be darned. That makes a lot of sense. Autumn Jan 2013 #19

They're a dime a dozen. defacto7 Jan 2013 #21

The message is clear... rrneck Jan 2013 #23

CT bullshit from Above Top Secret... SidDithers Jan 2013 #33

Was that straight out of your binder? whatchamacallit Jan 2013 #37

Oh yeah. You like Alex Jones and conspiracies... SidDithers Jan 2013 #38

Haha whatchamacallit Jan 2013 #40

Suspect grahamhgreen Jan 2013 #56

So you don't believe in paid shills? MessiahRp Jan 2013 #91

I believe that abovetopsecret is a loony toons source... SidDithers Jan 2013 #97

Where do we pick up our checks? Coyotl Jan 2013 #34

Just like HuffPo! Rain Mcloud Jan 2013 #43

It's insane. janx Jan 2013 #53

Use of such "shills" is standard operating procedure for marketing agencies and lobbyists. SunSeeker Jan 2013 #41

I hate to think of what DU must be costing the NRA right now. n/t gkhouston Jan 2013 #110

"A poor tool of the corporations, of the detectives, a thing in the shape of a man... jtuck004 Jan 2013 #42

I see talking heads on TV like that too. Manifestor_of_Light Jan 2013 #52

The blonde "elves"--including Ann Coulter--who promoted Paula Jones so vehemently tblue37 Jan 2013 #86

What surprises me is people pay money for it. How could anyone care what "internet opinion" is RB TexLa Jan 2013 #54

Are you that naive? Or do you think we're naive enough to think that you don't know better? CreekDog Jan 2013 #57

I really find it quite silly. But hey if people are going to waste money on it. RB TexLa Jan 2013 #59

sure you do CreekDog Jan 2013 #60

Yes, I do, I do not lie. I'm sure some people's self importance makes it easier for them to believe RB TexLa Jan 2013 #61

there are people paid to troll, to post certain ideas, to help their company to harm the competition CreekDog Jan 2013 #62

Some of the more popular posters here on DU evidently hate liberal ideas Fumesucker Jan 2013 #77

I have seen certain topics attacked by several posters at once as if they were suddenly alerted Follow The Money Jan 2013 #102

I imagine you certainly want us to believe that... LanternWaste Jan 2013 #89

2nd mention of the 'self-important' meme... HiPointDem Jan 2013 #100

This message was self-deleted by its author AZ Progressive Jan 2013 #93

here's an example of paid posting, just in the past hour or so -you're so convinced nobody does it CreekDog Jan 2013 #69

Only a paid internet shill would post something like this... ellisonz Jan 2013 #66

Most of us knew this, glad someone is speaking up siligut Jan 2013 #73

Probably at least some of those ads are for those tblue37 Jan 2013 #83

I never heard of Godlike Productions grantcart Jan 2013 #101

I don't remember now where I saw the ads siligut Jan 2013 #107

That makes me feel better about ellie Jan 2013 #81

ROFL, people believe anything they read on the intertubes snooper2 Jan 2013 #82

While we ponder this thought provoking post, I'm gonna have a Coke-Cola Zero karpool Jan 2013 #87

What about the internet stalkers? kimbutgar Jan 2013 #90

This has been oing on for years GETPLANING Jan 2013 #94

Yes, it has. I remember reading, years ago, about the establishment of companies that were Nay Jan 2013 #109

totally believable. Follow The Money Jan 2013 #99

Why do you hate freedom? Kurovski Jan 2013 #105

More great articles from consciouslifenews.com... SidDithers Jan 2013 #106

Oh Sid, we know you know it really exists, despite the source. Kurovski Jan 2013 #117

Message Control and AstroTurf Marketing is Big Business! bvar22 Jan 2013 #113

Makes me wonder how much of this goes down here at DU randr Jan 2013 #118

Locking REP Jan 2013 #120