Anybody think their are paid political operatives/influencers on GAG?

[blueonblack22]

I’ve noticed a large uptick in recent (mostly leftist) political postings on GAG. I’ve also see a bunch of new commentators and posters come out the woodworks with screen names I’ve never seen before.

I won’t name names but I well aware of both the far left and far right political types on here. Some of them I just can’t stand but they have been around for a while so at least I know they are legit.

But I also know the hostile countries (China, Russia, Iran, etc.) have a deeply vested interest in the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Everybody knows about Russia’s meddling because the Trump hating mass media fixated on the Mueller report for years (which was ultimately a nothing burger). But nobody talks about China’s meddling and they are actually far worse and much more sophisticated.

The Chinese communist party was very deeply involved in dividing America behind the scenes during the 2020 pandemic. TikTok was just one of many tools they used.

Here is a very good book called blood money that factually spells out the horrifying damage China has done to the USA via psychological warfare among other things (fentanyl trafficking, Glock switches, etc).

Anyway I am convinced that China (along with Russia and especially Iran) are desperate right now to find anyway possible to stop Trump from winning back the Oval Office in November. They know Trump will be much tougher on them when it comes to foreign policy.

I have no doubt some of the political posters and commentators on GAG are paid operatives. Not all but enough to tip the scales.

[Caroline91]

This is exactly why I went cold turkey off of social media after the 2016 election. I couldn't stomach what had happened in our country because of all of the planted fake accounts impacting our election process. And I'm not even going to defend that statement because it has been more that adequately proven for anyone who cares to research it. I don't happen to agree with some of your assessment on where some of the damage is, but that's fine. We don't have to agree on that in order to agree that the operatives are all over all social media now.

I have only recently come back to using social media on any level and here on GAG I am careful, generally, to avoid overt political questions although, from comments people have made to me, it apparently shows in my comments on other subjects which way I would lean. And then, of course, I am from California, so a lot of assumptions get made... lol.

Anyway, thanks for posting this because it is something that is important for us all to at least be aware of. I hope there will be an interesting discussion here about it.

[blueonblack22]

I’ve just noticed a large uptick of commentators on political posts from multiple new screen names I’ve never seen before on GAG. Real hateful posts literally supporting the attempted assassination of Trump.

[Caroline91]

@blueonblack22 I cannot condone nor tolerate ANY opinion that would EVER support or call for the assassination of ANYONE. Ever. I don't care how much I might actually abhor that person myself, I will NEVER wish for or condone another person's wish for the assassination of another human being. And it is beyond my comprehension that the administrators on any social media site are not being extremely vigilant and proactive in ensuring these posts are immediately deleted. Period.

[blueonblack22]

I am the exact same way. I wouldn’t call for nor condone any violence or death of any politician no matter how much I hated them. But I’ve seen several people say this crap about Trump on GAG and elsewhere. Sabretooth was putting up rhetoric about that. I believe he exists but he had a bunch of people upvoting his deranged opinion and leaving comments in support. I do NOT believe that the people “supporting” him are all real problem.

Here’s also another local example denvergazette.com/.../...f18-3bd3ce204fa0.amp.html This woman definitely exists but some of the people liking her social media post probably don’t.

These people were also trying to mock Trump’s bravery of when he was raising his fist as “facetious” since he only cared about posing for the cameras. He’s was literally centimeters away from certain death. It’s either in you to be defiant like that or it’s not. Just acknowledging he was brave in that particularmoment doesn’t make you a “Trump supporter”. If a democrat politician reacted that way I would respect them for being brave too despite completely despising their beliefs and rhetoric. Doesn’t mean I would vote for them though but I am not above acknowledging them when they are right and/or legitimately brave.

[blueonblack22]

*** I do NOT believe that the people “supporting” him are all real people

[Caroline91]

@blueonblack22 For a teacher, whose position is so influential of children and youth, to do something like that is dispicable. You can talk all you want about "free speech," but not all thoughts that can be freely expressed should be freely expressed because of the lack of wisdom involved in the act.

It is always constructive to find points of unity, of agreement. And we certainly have found much to agree on here in this thread. It has been edifying, so thank you for that!

[blueonblack22]

Thanks @Caroline91. This woman has been torn up and down. She’s been taken off the school staff roster but the school have NOT commented or announced she was terminated.

She’s at least 35 too (not sure if that article posted her face). Not some early 20s recent college grad who isn’t to dealing with consequences for her words and actions. I have no doubt many of her colleagues probably think the same way she does BUT at least they aren’t Finn enough to post something that gross of social media.

Anyway. You are right about uniting as a country. Trump has been more self disciplined lately which is a shock. Hopefully whoever replaces Biden can be the same way. If you keep on calling your opponent a “dictator, Hitler, end of democracy” then at some point some twisted psycho out there will feel like they are morally justified to take violent action.

And an assassination attempt is on a whole another level then rioting (even though rioting is unacceptable not matter what your ideology is)?

[blueonblack22]

*aren’t dumb enough

[Caroline91]

👍🏼

[1073sucks]

Democrats are very desperate right now. If it’s not paid, it’s definitely psychotic hardcore dens making other profiles just to post something and then comment with their other profiles. They really are that desperate right now. Whatever helps them sleep better at night lol 🤯

[1073sucks]

Also the Russian collusion was proven fake democratic made-up lies. So I don't know what you’re going on about repeating the fake narrative that has since then been proven false. Also Russia supports trump stoping the war in Ukraine. It’s Biden that is keeping that ear alive by a high percent over anyone else.

[RebelinSteel]

On various social media platforms there are a mix of trolls and bot farms.

https://www.csis.org/analysis/russian-bot-farm-used-ai-lie-americans-what-now

it is fairly well known and documented. A lot of triggered by certain words or Phrases, such as Ukraine. Are they paid ones on here? I don’t know but they are users who are happy to spread false crap.

[Dargil]

Not sure about paid. Intentional influencers, yes. Even foreign bots. They can't handle debate and will block you so others can't see your opinion. GAG should revise blocking rules so only the blocker can't see you but give a means to respond to an issue.

[blueonblack22]

I think there are AI bots/operatives being deployed on GAG now. Much more for them with the upcoming election. And they are programmed to upvote and/or comment on inflammatory political posts. And as you said they will flag certain posts they are programmed not to like.

Sabretooth up a post the other day literally justifying the attempted assassination of Trump. I believe he is real and deranged enough to openly go around saying that publicly and posting it on social media. It’s not enough for some people to keep those gross thoughts inside their heads and/or private conversation.

But his post got at least 4 upvotes and quickly (last I checked). There were GAGers commenting on it that I have never seen before. I highly doubt they are all real people.

I also had a mod flag a recent question I put up about Biden dropping out of the race. I did not bash and troll people in the question. But I did mention that Kamala Harris wouldn’t likely do any better. The most “controversial” thing I said that it was a myopic DEI decision to select Kamala as VP just because she is a black woman. Also said “she’s no female Barack Obama” because she’s not.

I can see some leftist female mods flagging that. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if a foreign AI bot/operative flagged it as well. It will get reinstated tomorrow by an admin. But still it’s that crap is what I am talking about.

[avery58]

Getting paid to sit at home and troll? Where do I sign up?

On a serious note, no I don't think so. This site is barely alive in the first place lol.

[NathanDavis]

did you get paid to make this post?

[blueonblack22]

Well it would be a helluva of a career since I’ve been on and off GAG for 12 years.

[NathanDavis]

now the news and TV are full of these people... I do think they cover enough population, no?

[blueonblack22]

I’m talking about entire “farms”, fake profiles used by foreign operatives and AI bots being developed by hostile governments that are being deployed to cause internal division and strife in western counties especially in the USA via social media influence.

For example sabretooth put up a post the other day literally justifying the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. I think he’s real and mentally deranged enough to post something that disgusting. I am not sure where you stand politically. However you can hate Trump all you want but openly wishing violence and death on a politician is on a whole different level. I wouldn’t cheer on and/or justify violence on AOC or any of the members of the squad despite absolutely hating every inch of their ideologies and rhetoric. Still though we live in a free country and we don’t kill people who exercise their right to free speech not matter how much we disagree with it.

However got 4 upvotes (maybe more since I last checked) for that deranged post and there were GAGers commenting on it with unfamiliar screen names I have never seen before. I am well acquainted for the political types on here and these GAGers just came out of the woodworks.

I do NOT believe those are all real people. I think some of them are operatives who are either AI bots or foreign actors who are intentionality upvoting a very inflammatory post because they know it will cause division.

I am seeing a lot more of this on GAG lately. And again you can dislike my political stances but we got automated meddling going on (in either direction) that’s a much bigger problem.

[msc545]

Sure all of here became paid political operatives just to bug you.