5 ms·

I would guess that as of 2019 there is no political party of any size in the western world not using such services. If they have an annual revenue of $1,000,00

I would guess that as of 2019 there is no political party of any size in the western world not using such services. If they have an annual revenue of $1,000,000, they're doing it. Many of them will be doing it through a PR firm to maintain deniability in the event of disclosure. But each and every party is doing it.

yeahforsureman 7y ago
No way. Sadly, the sole existence of troll farms is enough to create and reinforce political paranoia. Your message (parent) here, for example, is exactly the kind of stuff I've come to associate with Russian and similar trolling (sowing distrust in institutions etc.)...
- 9HZZRfNlpR 7y ago
  But you have to be extremely naive to not believe it. Work somewhere near marketing and you realize everything is shilled upon you. The politicians have used these tricks hundreds of years ago, things are just different with a new platform. Have you thought about the idea that you yourself are a victim of a marketing department if you believe every criticism is related to Russian campaigns?
  - Retric 7y ago
    Paid for troll farms are waste of money when the general public already agrees with the party. Thus, many parties have no reason to do this when members of the general public are willing to do it for free.
    - baq 7y ago
      Troll farms are polarizing: parties hire them to pretend to be two extreme sides to spread FUD.
  - Thorrez 7y ago
    Wouldn't people leak out information about it just like this journalist did?
  - erikpukinskis 7y ago
    > if you believe every criticism is related to Russian campaigns. That’s not the claim, and you hyperbolizing that way is a classic technique for muddying the waters. > everything is shilled on you That’s simply not true. There are many shills, but not everyone is a shill. There is a difference between responsible marketing and lying. Every institution has to choose which they engage in.
- anigbrowl 7y ago
  I think Jellicle is correct to some degree, which is not to say 'they're all the same'.
jacquesm 7y ago
I would very much doubt that. Though I'm sure the extremists wouldn't care how they won an election the main incumbents would be afraid that if it leaked they would be clobbered at the ballot box. If you don't give a damn about your reputation you tend to have more options than if you do.

yeahforsureman 7y ago

No way. Sadly, the sole existence of troll farms is enough to create and reinforce political paranoia. Your message (parent) here, for example, is exactly the kind of stuff I've come to associate with Russian and similar trolling (sowing distrust in institutions etc.)...

9HZZRfNlpR 7y ago
But you have to be extremely naive to not believe it. Work somewhere near marketing and you realize everything is shilled upon you. The politicians have used these tricks hundreds of years ago, things are just different with a new platform. Have you thought about the idea that you yourself are a victim of a marketing department if you believe every criticism is related to Russian campaigns?
- Retric 7y ago
  Paid for troll farms are waste of money when the general public already agrees with the party. Thus, many parties have no reason to do this when members of the general public are willing to do it for free.
  - baq 7y ago
    Troll farms are polarizing: parties hire them to pretend to be two extreme sides to spread FUD.
- Thorrez 7y ago
  Wouldn't people leak out information about it just like this journalist did?
- erikpukinskis 7y ago
  > if you believe every criticism is related to Russian campaigns. That’s not the claim, and you hyperbolizing that way is a classic technique for muddying the waters. > everything is shilled on you That’s simply not true. There are many shills, but not everyone is a shill. There is a difference between responsible marketing and lying. Every institution has to choose which they engage in.
anigbrowl 7y ago
I think Jellicle is correct to some degree, which is not to say 'they're all the same'.

jacquesm 7y ago

I would very much doubt that. Though I'm sure the extremists wouldn't care how they won an election the main incumbents would be afraid that if it leaked they would be clobbered at the ballot box. If you don't give a damn about your reputation you tend to have more options than if you do.