China caught astroturfing social networks

A new study claims to have unmasked a state-sponsored social media campaign in China that's responsible for nearly a half-billion social media comments. The report [PDF] from Harvard University suggests that a group of users acting at the behest of the Chinese government uses the comments to influence discussion of topics that …

[hellwig]

Every big company does this.

Lots of company's run these positive campaigns (and tend to get caught just the same). It's just that the People's Republic of China has a lot more employees than any other company.

You might think the P-Rep-C is a government entity, but that whole communist revolution is just a story they tell to keep their employees from unionizing.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Every big company does this.

Google, Facebook Uber etc pump massive resources into their fake grassroots organisations, to promote anti-regulation framed as freedom.

Actually the only online comments you can trust are nihilistic commentards.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Every big company does this.

Actually the only online comments you can trust are nihilistic commentards.

Thank you, I am honoured.

<Bows politely>

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Every big company does this.

@ledswinger

Encore!.. :tiphat:

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Every big company does this.

You can trust *most* nihilistic commentards. Unless theres a thread about bsd, systemd or gnome3. They look largely automated to me.

Commentard: Awwww sheeeit another systemd thread. Best google the current opinion.

Commentard: Ok current bandwagon is negative.

Commentard: ./auto_reg_spam.sh --topic systemd --opinion-bias strong --opinion negative --mention-bsd-interval extreme --spintax systemdrants.txt --flog-level 'dead horse' --tangent-strenth wild --auto-downvote-naysayers true

Commentard: My work here is done.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Every big company does this.

Fuck off, Pottering.

[Triggerfish]

Re: Every big company does this.

Actually the only online comments you can trust are nihilistic commentards.

Hey I can hate you all and life and still love this new coke taste thanks....

[Destroy All Monsters]

Re: Every big company does this.

Google, Facebook Uber etc pump massive resources into their fake grassroots organisations, to promote anti-regulation framed as freedom.

Andrew, is that you?

[JLV]

Re: Every big company does this.

>Actually the only online comments you can trust are nihilistic commentards.

Nope. They are just working for the competitors instead.

[sabroni]

Re: Every big company does this.

Harvard research shows China astroturfs, not by arguing against things but by distraction and misdirection. Commentards rush to point out that all companies do this, though they can't seem to show any research to back this up.

50 cents a post you say?

[a_yank_lurker]

Re: Every big company does this.

Add that every large organization and government does this with varying degrees of ineffectiveness.

[Mephistro]

Will they carry out a similar study ...

... on Western democracies? ***shudder***

I mean, the Chinese didn't invent this shit, did they?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Will they carry out a similar study ...

Here it is: snowden-training-guide-for-gchq-nsa-agents-infiltrating-and-disrupting-alternative-media-online

If anything, GCHQ's astro-turfing operations are worse than the Chinese.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Will they carry out a similar study ...

If anything, GCHQ's astro-turfing operations are worse than the Chinese.

I'm pretty sure they picked it up from Microsoft - we see enough of that here :)

[Destroy All Monsters]

Re: Will they carry out a similar study ...

Has there been some interference from a NORK message?

[Dadmin]

Re: Will they carry out a similar study ...

No, comrade, I mean, mighty fellow citizen of super fun western culture webpage, The Great People's Republic of China did not invent this, nor are they being directed to do so by GLORIOUS LEADER! They had nothing to do with this. Honest. The Great People's Republic of China is awesome and flawless. Also, The Great People's Republic of China smells really nice. Also, The Great People's Republic of China is almost completely pollution free! The Great People's Republic of China is for free-thinking robot peoples for future of lifting up in sky of MAGNANIMOUS GLORIOUS LEADER! What a guy!

[Mark 85]

Re: Will they carry out a similar study ...

So when is the next revision of "The Little Red Book" due out? I'll assume that MAGNANIMOUS GLORIOUS LEADER is title, not name. So minimal change then?

[P. Lee]

Re: Will they carry out a similar study ...

>I mean, the Chinese didn't invent this

Yeah, Western governments are much worse

Ooh! 50c!

[Anonymous Coward]

Comrade Marketing Hack say:

China A #1!! Running dog English tech publication not understand the PRC! The PRC is harmonious, with many happy feelings! The Chinese people's spirit aroused in anger by these lies!! Marketing Hack take strong revenge for England stealing Hong Kong from rightful owners and forcing opium to honorable ancestors!

[Anonymous Coward]

"303 See Other"

Hey, how about that new Phillipine presadent! What a yahu!

[energystar]

From when on Governments are excluded from Social Media? </hiccup>

[frank ly]

Stipendous

"... the reported per-post stipend the users receive from the government .."

A stipend is a fixed periodic payment.

[JeffyPoooh]

$0.50 per post?

OMG! If I could do two per minute, that's $60/hour.

Where do I sign up?

LOL...

[ecofeco]

Re: $0.50 per post?

No kidding. Nice job if you can get it.

[JLV]

Re: $0.50 per post?

How about as an Amazon fake reviewer?

https://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Programming-Professional-Made-Easy-ebook/dp/B00T0VRLVG?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cr-mr-title#customerReviews

https://www.amazon.com/Android-Programming-Power-Beginners-Development-ebook/dp/B00QMK9MRO?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc#customerReviews

[Darling Petunia]

It's very popular with a 'modest' & well coiffed fellow running for 'president' In the U.S.

[Anonymous Coward]

US Astroturfing

It's actually more popular with his opponent, although they're both pretty deep into it. Hillary's Correct the Record super-PAC is into the seven figures on astroturfing alone. And they openly announced it, so a quick google will confirm.

[John Brown (no body)]

So, the Chinese...

...have an official Govt. "nudge unit" too, just like the UK and probably every other Govt. in the world.

[DerekCurrie]

The usual propaganda, tool of FAILed governments

China: Criminal Nation. No 'communism' in sight. Only totalitarianism is in evidence, the usual fate of all FAILed states. :-P

Hey #MyStupidGovernment: Sorry you gave China 'Most Favored Nation' status back in 1998 YET? Oops.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The usual propaganda, tool of FAILed governments

China isn't a failure though. Not that I agree with how they run things, but they've proven that economic prosperity is possible without democracy.

And America has proved the opposite, that democracy alone doesn't automatically lead to freedom and social justice. On the contrary, they've managed to build a pretty nasty police state.

[Anonymous Coward]

I finally understand the hype of AI -Chatbots (Tay etc)...

They're there for corporate / state sponsored interference - ministry of misinformation etc.. Handy! Some human trolls are so brain-dead anyway it wouldn't be hard for Tay like AI to pass the Turing test...

[Anonymous Coward]

Thread jacking

Why are people picking on China - it's culture and people should be celebrated. Why do the West hate them so much?

[Anonymous Coward]

Countertrolling 101

"Letting an argument die, or changing the subject, usually works much better than picking an argument and getting someone's back up (as new parents recognize fast)."

Therein lies the answer. If you see something, say something .... defensive, eh?