A Business Insider article shed some light on a Russian initiative to spread their propaganda online through the use of “troll factories” at a national Internet research center.
Employees at Russia’s Internet research center work for 12 hours a day in three-person “teams” spreading Kremlin propaganda online, according to a former employee interviewed by Radio Free Europe.
Workers at the St. Petersburg “troll factory” are tasked with clogging Russian municipal websites and forums with pro-Kremlin comments. To make their comments seem independent and legitimate, employees are given separate “roles” they must play while maintaining their online personae.
Their roles are designed as such so that private citizens reading the website see the anti-government “villain” ganged up on and shot down immediately with the “facts.” The “team” sits together, and few spoken words are exchanged as they work furiously to meet their daily quota of 135 comments.
Navigate Internet forums at your own risk, and beware the Russian propaganda trolls.
Read more at Business Insider.
COMMENTS
There are on this article.
You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.