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posted by martyb on Thursday July 26 2018, @11:15AM   Printer-friendly
from the I'd-rather-be-trolling-for-fish dept.

Bloomberg is covering a report from the Institute for the Future (IFTF) on an attempt to describe the phenomenon of state-sponsored trolling from a qualitative and quantitative standpoint. While partially conflating trolling with astroturfing in the body of the report, the IFTF defines online trolling as deliberately targeting an individual for "hate" and harassment. Since it is only occasionally possible to attribute the attacks, the IFTF's aim with the report is to empower individuals, researchers, and policy makers to spot the phenomenon in the wild and at least attempt to combat it.

The report itself is entitled, State-Sponsored Trolling: How Governments Are Deploying Disinformation as Part of Broader Digital Harassment Campaigns (warning for PDF)

Ed: How accurate does the report appear to be and are the suggested countermeasures harmful or helpful or both?


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday July 26 2018, @11:26AM (22 children)

    Well, how accurate can it be when they have a key term misdefined?

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.
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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by RS3 on Thursday July 26 2018, @12:18PM (9 children)

    by RS3 (6367) on Thursday July 26 2018, @12:18PM (#713039)

    Which makes the poll itself a cleverly disguised rhetorical question, propaganda, misinformation, trickery, and therefor: troll.

    • (Score: 4, Funny) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday July 26 2018, @12:28PM (1 child)

      Bootstrap levitation, nice.

      --
      My rights don't end where your fear begins.
      • (Score: 3, Informative) by RS3 on Thursday July 26 2018, @01:27PM

        by RS3 (6367) on Thursday July 26 2018, @01:27PM (#713074)

        It will work, I tell ya! I just need stronger straps and better attachments!

    • (Score: 2) by crafoo on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:08PM (6 children)

      by crafoo (6639) on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:08PM (#713093)

      A troll, or fake news? Propaganda, deliberate misinformation = fake news. Trolling is just playing on another's naivety and willingness to slap-fight over usenet.

      • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Thursday July 26 2018, @04:56PM (5 children)

        by RS3 (6367) on Thursday July 26 2018, @04:56PM (#713222)

        I confess I was never fully clear on the definition of "troll". It seems fuzzy and the story struck me as ironically funny. Your definition is awesome, thanks! Yeah, some people are just argumentative for the sake of being abrasive. The problem with SN and other boards is that people get modded "troll" when they're just expressing their heart-felt passions and convictions. I got hit with it a few times when I was not trolling, so I rarely voice any kind of social or political views or opinions. So far the real-life voting places have not labeled me "troll". Maybe that will come someday...

        • (Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:11PM (2 children)

          by bzipitidoo (4388) on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:11PM (#713319) Journal

          0 to Godwinned in 60 seconds! Here we go!

          Flamebait: Hitler was a great leader who freed Germany from the unfair treaty provisions imposed after defeat in WWI, and reined in the Jewish bankers. Wish we could have him back.

          Troll: Why do you love Hitler and hate America?

          To be effective flamebait, it should have a truthful veneer. The fact is, the things Hitler did arguably had such effects. But the means he chose to go about it were very evil. If he'd merely imprisoned those bankers and financiers within Germany's reach who had been unethical and caused economic ruin thereby, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, that'd be one thing. Instead, as is well known to all but the Holocaust deniers, he singled out the Jews, whether bankers or not, blamed them for basically everything (all too easy to do since there's been centuries of resentment and prejudice against Jews), and tried to murder them all, not bothering with any niceties like morals, facts, or principles.

          • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:39PM (1 child)

            by RS3 (6367) on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:39PM (#713330)

            That's a great explanation, all of it, thanks. I fully agree.

            Regarding troll example- you've made me realize I have many trolls in my life, sadly including my dear old dad. Sigh.

            As I've stated elsewhere, ianal, but sometimes have to play one, and your troll example question reminds me of "objection your honor, question assumes facts which are not in evidence."

            • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:53PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:53PM (#713339)

              As I've posted elsewhere in this discussion, effective trolling is about pushing the right buttons. If you feel offended and obligated to defend your honor to some rando associating you with Hitler and questioning your loyalty to the soil under your feet, you seem pretty easy to troll. Let me try it :>

              Last night, I fucked your mom while wearing a swastika cape. Also I'm Mexican!!!11

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @10:56PM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @10:56PM (#713412)

          It's probably more accurate to call it trawling. As in trawling for reactions. As opposed to trolling as in being the troll under a bridge.

          Unfortunately, people seem to think that bring peavish or insulting is trolling and it really isn't.

          • (Score: 2) by aristarchus on Friday July 27 2018, @01:48AM

            by aristarchus (2645) on Friday July 27 2018, @01:48AM (#713507) Journal

            Incorrect. Trawling uses a net. Trolling uses a single baited of lured hook for its phishing. Don't belabor the point, words have more than one meaning in English. Oh, the fine summary also manages to completely miss the point of the Bloomberg article, as well.

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:30PM (11 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:30PM (#713109) Journal

    I don't know about accuracy in reporting. That metric was dropped long ago, probably near around the time that CNN came into being. What I do know is, if the lefties don't like being trolled, they shouldn't cry those little snowflake tears, while calling everyone else filthy names, like "fascist". I've never really looked into it, but I suspect that Texas law might excuse a guy shooting some liberal for calling him a fascist. Self defense, right?

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:49PM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:49PM (#713127)

      Get more fiber in your diet.

      • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:53PM (1 child)

        by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:53PM (#713131) Journal

        There's no fiber in snowflake tears?

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 27 2018, @01:49AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 27 2018, @01:49AM (#713509)

          Eat hay, Runaway!

    • (Score: 5, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Thursday July 26 2018, @05:26PM (4 children)

      by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday July 26 2018, @05:26PM (#713235) Journal

      ...they shouldn't cry those little snowflake tears...

      You mean snowflakes like Donald Trump. Who melted because a reporter asked a question and then demanded she be censored?

      A CNN reporter has been barred from a White House event for asking Donald Trump "inappropriate" questions. [bbc.com]

      Remember how triggered the right wing was when Obama merely contemplated the idea, but didn't actually ban anyone?

      • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 26 2018, @05:58PM (2 children)

        by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday July 26 2018, @05:58PM (#713257) Journal

        Donnie's tears are the wrong flavor for me. Those are entitled rich boy tears. I suppose they're alright for some people, but they just don't taste good to me. All I've ever wanted to do with Trump was to punch him in the nose for being such an arrogant cocksucker.

        Liberal tears are tasty, tasty, tasty!

        As for banning a reporter - well - I'm banned from the White House. Based on my history of letters to the White House, neither Obama's nor Trump's administration would have been willing to allow me to question the president - on ANY subject.

        But, neither Obama nor Trump are the first to ban a particular reporter from the White House.

        https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1995/09/17/big-ben/c4229dac-f60b-402a-8262-e8d2514a0947/ [washingtonpost.com]

        The Nixons had refused to accredit Post reporter Judith Martin to cover the White House on the wedding day. They didn't like Post reporters in general, but they particularly did not like stories she had written about the family. Any other reporter, but not Judy, we were told.

        I could probably find more, if I tried.

        Additionally, reporters are banned from my property. There's nothing I can do about them taking photos from the highway, but they can't come on my property. Since I actually "own" half of the county dirt road coming off of the highway, I'll file trespass charges against any reporter who drives all the way down here to my house. Unless, of course, I actually invite a reporter to come visit.

        • (Score: 4, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Thursday July 26 2018, @06:51PM

          by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday July 26 2018, @06:51PM (#713304) Journal

          So the only two presidents to ever ban a reporter were Conservatives. I thought you said those were the pro-free-speech people?

        • (Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Thursday July 26 2018, @06:53PM

          by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday July 26 2018, @06:53PM (#713306) Journal

          Yes, Runaway, war is peace and "don't be a fascist" is a fascist slogan.

      • (Score: 5, Touché) by DeathMonkey on Thursday July 26 2018, @08:06PM

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday July 26 2018, @08:06PM (#713344) Journal

        I thought it was only liberals who modded down things they disagree with.

    • (Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday July 26 2018, @10:15PM

      by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Thursday July 26 2018, @10:15PM (#713393)

      Reading the Wikipedia article on the Fairness Doctrine, it was removed by Mr. Reagan in 1987, and he threatened to veto any attempt by Congress to try to enact it into law.

      CNN was founded in 1980, so would have had to live with it for at least those years.

      It is unlikely Mr. Reagan actually made any decisions about the Fairness Doctrine during 1987 however, due to his Alzheimer's.

      Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that I think you're wrong about Mr. Reagan being a leftist.

      He was however very sensitive to criticism, so maybe he was one (by your standards, anyway).

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @11:01PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @11:01PM (#713418)

      Er...snow = white, as in your Lilly white ass. Flak = out of wack, as in in your mind is totally wracked like you take too many drugs.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @11:13PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @11:13PM (#713433)

      I hope you wipe your mouth after spewing bullshit.