Information Wars: Watch Out for Paid Trolls and Front Groups

bridge-troll

By TLB Contributor: Paul Fassa

As you peruse the internet looking for bridges to reach some impressions of reality based information, stay focused and avoid looking under the bridge or the trolls will get you and leave you more confused than ever.

Yes, this is a metaphor for internet trolling based on old English legends that ugly creatures lived under bridges to ward off unwanted visitors. In real terms, the bridge is the text and looking under the bridge refers to looking at the comments below.

While it’s nice to see a decent complimentary comment or one that is sane and civil with added information or a polite correction, there are some that are hostile to the article’s perspective by quoting junk science, disinformation, or simply attacking the writer, the site, or the experts being quoted, making one wonder why are they visiting this site?

No More Bridges, Just Internet Trolls

From the Urban Dictionary’s definition of internet troll: “One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument.”

The Urban Dictionary says that trolls do this for their own amusement, and probably some do. But how come I notice more trolling, usually attempting to completely debunk the article’s message, on alternative health sites than the sites that support mainstream medicine or GMOs? Why would anyone bother to waste his or her time, unless there’s a paycheck involved

Posting an article that disputes vaccine lies and discusses their dangers is as sure to attract trolls as much as a thrashing bleeding man who went over board will attract sharks. Attempting to explain the ultimate planetary and personal health horror of GMOs is like swatting a hornets’ nest of ardent pro-GMO trolls.

PrintYet, upon visiting mainstream medical, pro-GMO, and vaccination promoting sites there is a distinct absence of trolls. As a matter of fact, some of those sites contain articles personally attacking (ad hominem) courageous heroes of the alternative health media such as Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, Dr. Russell Blaylock, and Nobel Prize winning biochemist Linus Pauling.

There’s hardly a vaccine or “skeptic” site, like Quack Watch, that doesn’t mention what a scoundrel Dr. Andrew Wakefield is and how his claims, some of which he never made at the time, have been thoroughly debunked.

They print amazing lies and get away with it without being disputed by any comments. Instead, comments are usually praising the articles or pitching in with more abusive lies. Witnessing the arrogant ignorance that’s spouted and agreed to is discouraging at times, mainly because it’s so predominant.

A More Insidious Trolling Motivation than Sadistic Amusement

Anthony Gucciardi, Natural Society founder recently stated, “… paid internet trolling is becoming a new career path.” I’ve always suspected that the sheer abundance of trolls who visit alternative health sites that feature anti-vaccination or anti-GMO material was in indication of paid disinformation and disruption to at least sow the seeds of doubt into some readers. Truly we are on the front lines of info-wars.

The industries behind the curtains are incredibly well off enough to create front groups that pose as grassroots attempts, aka “astro-turf” groups to promote their image and defend their activities with typical PR lies. One example out of many is Monsanto and others’ front group Alliance to Feed the Future. They are basically PR firms for hire, and they ain’t cheap.

cartoon 2But it works for those who need to hide their true intentions by having a seemingly non-interested independent third party speak well on their behalf. For more detailed coverage of front groups with names of many, view this report: Best Public Relations Money Can Buy: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups.

Recent news items from RT and AP mentioned how Coca-Cola hired actual dieticians and nutritionists of mainstream ignorance ilk to insert snack recommendations into their articles for miniature cokes, either with aspartame or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) aka corn syrup.

The Coca Cola corporation’s revenue is lacking and they’re forced to lay off several workers worldwide, so they need more customers. And Pepsi has been paying dieticians to encourage GMO healthy Frito-Lay and Tostito chips.

Ben Sheidler, a Coca-Cola spokesman, responded with, “We have a network of dietitians we work with,” without disclosing how much the company pays experts. “Every big brand works with bloggers or has paid talent.” Talent eh, sounds like Hollywood.

So it’s no big deal for mega-corporations to hire some clever idiots or crude thugs to do their bidding as trolls on sites they scout and patrol, especially with a crappy economy and job shortages. Please don’t be tempted to pursue this line of work, and don’t be confused by trolls’ and front groups’ smoke screens.

################

Paul Fassa is a contributing staff writer for REALfarmacy.com and a contributor to The Liberty Beacon project. His pet peeves are the Medical Mafia’s control over health and the food industry and government regulatory agencies’ corruption. Paul’s valiant contributions to the health movement and global paradigm shift are world renowned. Visit his blog by following this link and follow him on Twitter here.

Sources:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=troll

http://naturalsociety.com/monsanto-and-others-caught-paying-internet-trolls-to-attack-activists/?utm_source=Natural+Society&utm_campaign=24ee0295f8-Email+723%3A+4%2F20%2F2015+-+Monsanto+Paying+Trolls&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f20e6f9c84-24ee0295f8-324075857

http://www.nationofchange.org/front-groups-exposed-50-industry-groups-form-new-alliance-manipulate-public-opinion-about-junk-food-

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ca013c8facfb429490195c024c5c2fef/coke-healthy-snack-how-company-gets-its-message-out

http://rt.com/usa/241317-coca-cola-health-experts-paid/

Image Credits:

https://dailypurch.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/bridge-troll-4e7123d-intro.jpg

http://www.rainmakermediaworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Unearthed-Trolls-1309-1-web.jpg

http://blog.center4tobaccopolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cartoon1.png

################

TLB recommends you visit REAL farmacy for more pertinent articles and information.

See featured article and read comments HERE

 

1 Comment on Information Wars: Watch Out for Paid Trolls and Front Groups

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*