How do you identify a Russian troll

[Checkerboard Strangler]

My thought is that you vastly overrate the reach of this site.

I'd be surprised if there was even a single Russian operative wasting their time trolling DP.

What is it, eighty thousand members here? Yeah, might be worth the time of a handful of them, I'd say.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Godwin just gained a new catagory.

Godwin said that he was 100 percent behind folks calling Alt-Righters Nazis.

 

[Proteus]

What is it, eighty thousand members here? Yeah, might be worth the time of a handful of them, I'd say.

How many of those are active though? A few hundred? Maybe a thousand?

Even if it was all 80k, it still pales in comparison to Facebook, where they've shown they can actually influence an election.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

You don't think it's a problem if a hostile foreign power makes a concerted effort to instigate dissent, mistrust and hatred among the people of the target country?

Any red blood, god fearing, true American patriot should be concerned. Aren't you a patriot?

A concerted, well funded and well organized effort in some areas.
I would agree that debate forums are probably targeted much less than, say perhaps, Facebook or Twitter.
The format and layout of FB is much easier for them to utilize, and Twitter is fertile ground for planting links to agit-prop.

So let's just say that, if debate forums are indeed targeted, it's at a low level in comparison.
Did someone say 10%? Maybe more like 5 percent or even 2 percent, and I daresay that the accounts are more often than not a wee bit on the transient side. They may be active for a while, then they go quiet.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I think one major indicator of any troll is that they create a thread with a very controversial topic, take a fringe position on the topic and then neglect to participate in the thread after the OP.

Or their "participation" is dubious and very "troll-like"?

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

And what exactly is the desired effect that is achieved by trolling a messageboard with a few hundred active participants?

You think it's only a few hundred? I was laboring under the impression that it's more like a couple of thousand.

 

[roughdraft274]

Maybe because they don't see how those alliances are actually helping Americans.

Agreed. They are a short sighted and ignorant bunch. It's hard to explain the authority that america has thanks to it's diplomatic alliances and the very rich idea of soft power that we hold around the world.

 

[lurchadams]

Or their "participation" is dubious and very "troll-like"?

Yes, I left out that another indicator is that their account is newly created.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I see suspiscious grammatical errors sometimes.

Ones with partisan handles who screw up the grammar like someone for whom English is a second language, not just the one of their birth they suck at using.

People tend to write like they talk. And nobodyhere talks like that.

Also, you can't get them off script. Throw a curve and they stumble.

"Also, you can't get them off script. Throw a curve and they stumble."

Yeah, sorta like a famous kid's toy from the 70's.

"Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!"

 

[phattonez]

Agreed. They are a short sighted and ignorant bunch. It's hard to explain the authority that america has thanks to it's diplomatic alliances and the very rich idea of soft power that we hold around the world.

Yeah, we gain so much by sending $3 billion per year to Israel, $1.5 billion to Egypt, $1.2 billion to Jordan, $1 billion to the West Bank/Gaza, $700 million to Ethiopia, etc. Imagine what a dump the United States would be without that foreign aid.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

From all accounts this is an unusually civil debate site.

So a group trying to increase division in this country might very well pay special attention to us over a site where they're screaming at each other constantly.

There are lots of people here I like that I totally disagree with politically. That is the opposite of what the troll farms are tasked with.

And one person can "supervise" many many sites with bots looking for certain words and phrases.

I would bet money we see a good number of Communications interns here, because of the climate. Communications is the degree arc where you study.the techniques employed by the troll farms.

And professionals in any thread where someone has invested a lot of money on PR on some subject.

The general overall civility here could result in a successful deconstruction of "messaging" that could result in complete failure of the campaign.

So I don't think we're as uninteresting to the troll farms as one might think at first.

I doubt there are more than a tiny handful but like you, I agree that for anyone in that vein, a forum like this is fascinating research, and fruitful.

 

[Moderate Right]

The rational, patriotic, sympathetic people on the side of good have been protesting. Trump and his alt-right base just can't get past the fact that the protest marches in DC had higher attendance than Trump's inauguration

Now make up your mind, is protesting good or bad? Apparently the only protesting you approve of is the protesting done by your side.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

How many of those are active though? A few hundred? Maybe a thousand?

Even if it was all 80k, it still pales in comparison to Facebook, where they've shown they can actually influence an election.

Well see, that is where I was in agreement. A debate forum is indeed probably small potatoes strictly in terms of reach, however it is highly useful in other valuable ways.
Do you agree that a relatively civilized debate forum is an excellent place to learn how to "be an Americansky"?

 

[roughdraft274]

Yeah, we gain so much by sending $3 billion per year to Israel, $1.5 billion to Egypt, $1.2 billion to Jordan, $1 billion to the West Bank/Gaza, $700 million to Ethiopia, etc. Imagine what a dump the United States would be without that foreign aid.

Probably ten fold the gain we would get by transferring that money in to our military budget or a wall. There's a reason that every diplomat from every modern administration, republican and democrat, favors foreign aid.

 

[truthatallcost]

Detailed descriptions of what identifies a paid Russian troll would probably exceed the 5K word limit, so I'm also mostly going with the Justice Potter theme of "You know it when you see it."
The one thing that seems to stand out, however, is the distinct lack of local color in their posts.
By that I mean, since this is primarily a site aimed at North American politics, with an emphasis on U.S. politics more than anything else, it's interesting what happens when you press one of these people for some local color.

Example: Here in Whittier, these neighborhoods went from being borderline street gang "no go zones" in the 80's and early 90's back to being the quiet and somewhat boring baby factories that they were in the postwar years, because so many of the gangs moved to the Inland Empire and to Palmdale.
They were, quite simply, priced out of the market and the rest were reduced by attrition due to law enforcement stepping up and doing their job.

Remarks about local cultural and ethnic trends, local housing prices, local employment prospects, food, music, local crime, local "anything-at-all", are notably absent in posts that come from paid Russian trolls, because the only thing local that they could comment on would be 55 Savushkina Street, Saint Petersburg.
You'll also never hear from them about family, kids, job, pets or even what they ate that day.

I don't think any of them have an opinion on issues like pot legalization either, or if they did, would they be pro or con, and why.
It would be interesting to push them on an issue like that, because if they're in Russia, it would be difficult for them to be very aware of local trends, like say for instance, the new pot dispensaries opening up OR being forced to close in "their Amerikansky city".

NOTE: Some of the more sophisticated Russian trolls MIGHT have been to or have friends living IN one of the Russian diaspora cities here like West Hollywood, (Fairfax District) for instance.
One way to trip them up would be to ask about a local business, say perhaps a local eatery which has been closed in the last year. If they say they just came back from lunch there....BUSTED.

It's maybe a little bit difficult to fake being an American resident if you've never lived here.
You can maybe get away with it for a little while but sooner or later someone can trip you up.

What should we do about Russian trolls? Cook em and eat em?

 

[phattonez]

Probably ten fold the gain we would get by transferring that money in to our military budget or a wall. There's a reason that every diplomat from every modern administration, republican and democrat, favors foreign aid.

Because the politicians who appoint those diplomats are sold out to AIPAC?

https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/03/22/the-best-congress-aipac-can-buy/

 

[depakote]

So, we know that Russian has maintained a sustained campaign of sewing divisions between groups in the U.S. by posting on social media. I think it's quite evident we have at least a few here on DP.

Here are some of my ideas on IDing a Russian troll.
- Starts a thread with all sorts of name calling to provoke a response (e.g. Libtard), especially if it's one of their first posts in the forum.
- Occasionally has poor English skills
- Opinions often convey extreme racism, xenophobia, and homophobia
- Avatars and Usernames are often overtly patriotic
- Dismissal of sources without providing counter sources. Often resorts to ad hominem attacks.

What are your thoughts?

I also think that a troll, regardless of Citizenship, is a person who is being 'too' slow in keeping up with things and too slow in keeping things moving forward and onward and upward.. otherwise as getting the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I do not think DP is under attack by hundreds of paid Russian trolls, or even dozens, or even A DOZEN.
But, that said, do I think there are a handful? Yes, most definitely, and they are committed to this place, they have found a temporary home here, and I daresay that their experience here is of benefit and value to outfits like

Интернет-исследовательское агентство

"Internet Research Agency, 55 Savushkina St. St. Petersburg, RU"

 

[roughdraft274]

Because the politicians who appoint those diplomats are sold out to AIPAC?

https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/03/22/the-best-congress-aipac-can-buy/

Chicken or the egg.

This is an issue that can be brought up for anything that has an interest group. Guns, abortion, medicine, environment, big oil etc. Do those groups give money to people whom they think want to furthen their cause and agree with it? Or are they giving money to those that normally wouldn't agree with them in order to bribe them?

This is something that a very simplistic person would argue "well republicans only love the second amendment and hate gun control cause the NRA gives them checks!" When in reality I think it's fairly obvious that if the NRA didn't hand out a dime, most if not all republicans would hold the exact same position that they currently do.

The idea that we only give out foreign aid because there are some pro-Israel lobbying efforts is laughable. You can't be considered a serious voice in this conversation if you make claims like that, so I hope I'm misreading your point here, which I would welcome a clarifying statement if you are so gracious.

 

[phattonez]

Chicken or the egg.

This is an issue that can be brought up for anything that has an interest group. Guns, abortion, medicine, environment, big oil etc. Do those groups give money to people whom they think want to furthen their cause and agree with it? Or are they giving money to those that normally wouldn't agree with them in order to bribe them?

This is something that a very simplistic person would argue "well republicans only love the second amendment and hate gun control cause the NRA gives them checks!" When in reality I think it's fairly obvious that if the NRA didn't hand out a dime, most if not all republicans would hold the exact same position that they currently do.

The idea that we only give out foreign aid because there are some pro-Israel lobbying efforts is laughable. You can't be considered a serious voice in this conversation if you make claims like that, so I hope I'm misreading your point here, which I would welcome a clarifying statement if you are so gracious.

You really don't see a difference between a domestic interest group and a foreign lobby swaying our politics?

 

[roughdraft274]

You really don't see a difference between a domestic interest group and a foreign lobby swaying our politics?

I see a difference, but I'm not sure what exactly you want anyone to do about it. With what I've read this AIPAC can't even make donations so the extent of their action is linking up politicians who are pro-israel with wealthy donors who are also pro-israel. I think we should always question interest groups and their purpose, but just the fact that an interest group exists does nothing to say whether our foreign aid is a good thing or a bad thing. And it does nothing to show that we only give foreign aid because someone lobbied for that country. You've merely sidestepped the issue.

 

[phattonez]

I see a difference, but I'm not sure what exactly you want anyone to do about it. With what I've read this AIPAC can't even make donations so the extent of their action is linking up politicians who are pro-israel with wealthy donors who are also pro-israel.

Come on. Do you really think that there's a difference?

I think we should always question interest groups and their purpose, but just the fact that an interest group exists does nothing to say whether our foreign aid is a good thing or a bad thing. And it does nothing to show that we only give foreign aid because someone lobbied for that country. You've merely sidestepped the issue.

How much money do you think we'd be giving to Israel if they weren't basically our biggest lobby?

 

[apdst]

If you had read the point comrade you would understand why your overly patriotic avatar is relevant
But then Russians are known for their lack of humor

"You're a Russian" is the new "You're a Nazi"?

:lamo

 

[Kal'Stang]

So, we know that Russian has maintained a sustained campaign of sewing divisions between groups in the U.S. by posting on social media. I think it's quite evident we have at least a few here on DP.

Here are some of my ideas on IDing a Russian troll.
- Starts a thread with all sorts of name calling to provoke a response (e.g. Libtard), especially if it's one of their first posts in the forum.
- Occasionally has poor English skills
- Opinions often convey extreme racism, xenophobia, and homophobia
- Avatars and Usernames are often overtly patriotic
- Dismissal of sources without providing counter sources. Often resorts to ad hominem attacks.

What are your thoughts?

Well, first off you should change your lean to "left" or "liberal" or something similar. Every one of your examples is bashing the right by using common meme's associated with the right due to liberal propaganda. It also, perhaps intentionally, ignores what the Russians have been doing in their attempted influence. Which is to make extreme arguments from both sides of the aisle. Not just from the supposed right side. So, going by this well known fact...perhaps you're a Russian operative looking to cause division?

 

[beancounter]

Well, first off you should change your lean to "left" or "liberal" or something similar. Every one of your examples is bashing the right by using common meme's associated with the right due to liberal propaganda. It also, perhaps intentionally, ignores what the Russians have been doing in their attempted influence. Which is to make extreme arguments from both sides of the aisle. Not just from the supposed right side. So, going by this well known fact...perhaps you're a Russian operative looking to cause division?

I see plenty of people on this board who list their political lean as "undisclosed" or "Other", but it's quite clear which way they lean. But everything is relative. On the forum that I was part of before this one, many of the people there viewed me as conservative. I was occasionally called "fascist", "Hitler," and other such names that implied that I was anything but liberal.

I think only point 3 and 4 could be called a "common meme bashing the right", but the others are more general.

Since Putin openly supported Trump, it only makes sense that his hired trolls would say things, and act in ways that would make them "blend in" with those on the Right. That's why it looks like I'm targeting the Right...because a Russian troll would want to make it appear as though he's just another/ an everyday "Joe Conservative", and thus they act accordingly in an attempt to hide their true identity.