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There is online manipulation here and pretty much everywhere else where people can discuss things. It can come in a variety of forms. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenc

There is online manipulation here and pretty much everywhere else where people can discuss things. It can come in a variety of forms. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/109634/1/MPRA_paper_109634.pdf https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/109634/1/MPRA_paper_109634.p... https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-op... Reputation Management https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reputation_management https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reputation_management which obviously protects income streams for entities, but the military also protect businesses online because they are protecting money coming in from abroad, this is what politics is all about, placating the public which business gets its way, stuff you probably dont need to know about and so wont be taught about it.

bluedays 5y ago
I have noticed the same, but when I have mentioned this in the past I have been downvoted and told that I am being "conspiratorial". This is definitely a problem on Hacker News, because it is a website beholden to a company (YCombinator). This company has a vested interest in ensuring that the messages on Hacker News reflect what the popular narrative is as it reflects upon them personally. In other words as long as large companies control the medium the messages will be controlled by said company. There is only the illusion of free speech on the Internet. You can say whatever you want, but don't be surprised if nobody can hear you.
dang 5y ago
Such things of course exist but the problem is that internet users are inclined to see astroturfing, shilling, brigading, state actors, and so on in every comment they dislike. Then they react aggressively as if they are uncovering crimes, which pushes discussion quality downhill. That's why we ask people not to post that way unless they have actual evidence (in which case they should be sending it to hn@ycombinator.com so we can investigate). Someone else having a disagreeable view does not count as evidence. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comment&storyText=false&prefix=true&page=0&query=by:dang%20astroturf https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comme...
- Melatonic 5y ago
  Agreed

bluedays 5y ago

I have noticed the same, but when I have mentioned this in the past I have been downvoted and told that I am being "conspiratorial". This is definitely a problem on Hacker News, because it is a website beholden to a company (YCombinator). This company has a vested interest in ensuring that the messages on Hacker News reflect what the popular narrative is as it reflects upon them personally. In other words as long as large companies control the medium the messages will be controlled by said company. There is only the illusion of free speech on the Internet. You can say whatever you want, but don't be surprised if nobody can hear you.

dang 5y ago

Such things of course exist but the problem is that internet users are inclined to see astroturfing, shilling, brigading, state actors, and so on in every comment they dislike. Then they react aggressively as if they are uncovering crimes, which pushes discussion quality downhill. That's why we ask people not to post that way unless they have actual evidence (in which case they should be sending it to hn@ycombinator.com so we can investigate). Someone else having a disagreeable view does not count as evidence. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comment&storyText=false&prefix=true&page=0&query=by:dang%20astroturf https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comme...

Melatonic 5y ago
Agreed