Have the russian trolls infiltrated DU?

[captain queeg]

I've seen a few discussions about politics go off the rail lately. Some replies devolve to hostile personal attacks. The Russians have proven themselves to be very adept at stirring the pot, getting americans to turn on each other. I always say they know how to get the most bang for the buck. Hire a few trolls and spend a couple thousand to disrupt our political system and elections. Using an array of espionage tricks they will steal our latest weapons systems, spending a few million to get billions of dollars worth of American research. Way cheaper than having to do it themselves.

[nini]

1. I think they have some time ago

Thankfully most folks see right through it but in some cases it takes a bit to realize it.

[L. Coyote]

2. You don't need to be a Russian to troll DU.

We've had to deal with right wing trolls since day one.

[ExciteBike66]

3. YOUR THE TROLL, TOVARISH! nt

[demmiblue]

4. Oddly, your statement, "Russians have proven themselves to be very adept at stirring the pot, ...

getting americans [DUers] to turn on each other," could apply to your own OP.



P.S. Americans.

[FarPoint]

5. Absolutely...

Some even have a high post count....Ran off Good old time DU brilliant posters..

[el_bryanto]

6. I don't know - I think most posters here are as American as Mother's homemade Vatrushka.

I was talking with my friends Boris and Natasha and we all agreed over Vodka that there was no possible way that Russians could infiltrate DU. Then we talked about the moose and squirrel problem - but that's none of your concern.

Bryant

[DetlefK]

7. Yes. Here's my anecdotal evidence:

1. Before the election there was this guy (still remember his username...) who would always side with Russia. We got into lots of heated discussions and he always sided with Russia. A few days after the election he stopped posting and disappeared.



2. I have seen an uptick in airing of pointless and ridiculous grievances. They look very, very much like the comments in the comment-section of RT:
A short, over-the-top hysterical post full of hatred where you blame somebody for something, even when it doesn't fit the topic at hand.

A post meant to rile up emotions and to drag the level of discussion down to the level of evidence-free echo-chambers.

Drive-by-postings meant to create division and outrage, not meant to actually make a point.

[sarisataka]

8. Da

[Kimchijeon]

9. Not really worth the trouble for 'em.

Maybe to some extent, but sadly lefties are all to eager to attack each other anyway. The fascists know it & surely do use it to their advantage. It doesn't require much subterfuge on their part either, just some gentle trolling is all it takes to divide the peasants. Oh well.

[ananda]

10. They've been here awhile.

nt

[annabanana]

12. yep . . .n/t

[bagelsforbreakfast]

11. Yes. Witness the smear campaign against franken

How are these posts even allowed when according to the rules you are not supposed to bash democrats with anonymous slurs? Like the right wingroger stone does!

[LongTomH]

13. That's all we need people accusing each other......

.....of being Russian trolls!

[4139]

14. Het! Только Эльфы!

[Progressive dog]

15. I'd want to see specific posts that

you think were made by Russian trolls and how discussions went off the rail before attempting to answer that question.

[MFM008]

16. Any posters that give

AID and comfort to the enemy..
Especially that fat ,vile ,repulsive
piece of dried shit
In our white house
Needs to STFFU.

[MineralMan]

17. Может быть..

Но кто они?

That's the question. Can you read that?

[captain queeg]

18. I really didn't even know what "troll" meant till maybe half year ago

Though I'd noticed a certain type of poster across all sorts of forums. It finally clicked when someone on reddit was jumping all over on me for nothing. I had an idea by that time of what a troll was and then looked it up on the internet and pretty much verified what I was picturing, though motivations vary depending on the forum.

I used to let them get under my skin, then I realized that was their goal so don't bother responding. I think that is the best way to annoy a troll.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

19. They've been coming here on and off since Russia annexed Crimea

You hadn't noticed?

[Kirk Lover]

20. Trolls no matter what their ethnic makeup don't bother me not one little bit as I can out Troll

them any frikkin day. I AM THE SNOWFLAKE FROM HELL.

[jalan48]

21. "Paranoia strikes deep, into your life it will creep. It starts when you're always afraid, step out

of line, the man comes and takes you away." --------Buffalo Springfield

[Skittles]

22. oh there are LOTS of them here

if you ready closely, they use a lot of the same language