Whether you are a business professional or not, trolling can have a dramatic impact on your career. And there are many different kinds of trolling, some of which are more targeted and effective than others.
Troll farms create a symbiotic relationship between governments, political parties and tech firms
During the US presidential campaign, the Russian government facilitated a disinformation campaign that spread pro-Trump agitprop across the internet. Up to a third of the staff at the Internet Research Agency – which had connections to the Kremlin – was tasked with interfering in the election.
In July, a federal grand jury charged thirteen Russian nationals and three Russian organizations with engaging in a “troll factory” campaign to sow division in the United States. The campaign ties back to a troll farm in St. Petersburg, Russia. The “Internet Research Agency” was a Russian desk that operated bots and fake social media accounts. The trolls used the agitprop to spread fake news and pro-Trump messages.
The Internet Research Agency, which is bankrolled by a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, is a well-researched Russian company in St. Petersburg. According to the US intelligence community, the troll farm’s purpose is to “identify grievances in other countries and insert themselves into debates to inflame.” It has been named a “troll farm” by the U.S. Intelligence Community.
Troll farms offer a fast and cheap way to weaken their rivals
Taking the internet by storm is a task facilitated by advances in the physical and digital worlds. The advent of the mobile phone and ubiquity of the internet has brought new opportunities for both individuals and organisations to engage in the digital realm. The resulting burgeoning population of digital natives has led to an explosion in the number of people logging on to social media. In turn, a number of companies have capitalized on the opportunity to promote their wares to the masses. In this new world, professional trolling is not an exception. In a recent study, a UK based nonprofit found that a major PR firm had paid Nigerian influencers to promote a US based Columbian businessman who was under suspicion of money laundering in the US. This was a case of a symbiosis in the making, as the two parties were on the same page.
The best part of this ad hoc arrangement is the fact that a third party on the ground will do the dirty work for a fee, thereby ensuring a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Troll farms can create a thriving underground industry
Those who follow the news know that global business professional trolling can create an underground industry that can pay off in developing nations. But how do professional trolls work and what makes them effective? Here are some of the key attributes that make professional trolls effective.
Professional trolls use social media to manipulate public opinion. They do this by fanning emotions around heated topics. They are not promoting political ideology, but rather, inserting themselves into debates to inflame them. Professional Russian trolls often insert themselves into debates to sow division among Americans. The trolls can use hyper-targeted messages that target specific individuals or groups.
During the midterm elections last year, the Internet Research Agency in St. Petersburg, Russia, was reportedly hired by the Russian government to help spread disinformation. In July, 13 Russian officials were indicted by a federal grand jury for interfering in the midterm elections. This organization was also linked to a massive troll operation in Ghana that was discovered by CNN. These operations are known as “troll farms,” and they are a tool for Russian president Vladimir Putin to influence international events.