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New Study: At Least 15% of All Reddit Content is Corporate Trolls Trying to Manipulate Public Opinion (medium.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 164 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Is all bad online behavior "trolling" now? Isn't "shill" a better word for someone who is paid to surreptitiously promote something?

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  • [–] 75 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Back in my day trolling meant something. It meant you cared enough to actually form a real argument that withstands scrutiny, just to setup for the rug pull. The better your polemic, the more engagement as people debated if you were for real or not.

    Shitposting controversial hot takes or dog whistle memes is mid af, do better

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    From my understanding trolling meant exactly what it says it is: Trolling. I think people for some reason get this mixed up with trolls - as in the fantasy type monster. But I think it actually has to do with the fishing termtrolling where you cast out your line, and see if you can get somebody to take the bait. Once they take the bait, you take em for a ride.

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  • [–] -1 points 2 years ago*

    From my understanding trolling meant exactly what it says it is: Trolling. I think people for some reason get this mixed up with trolls - as in the fantasy type monster. But I think it actually has to do with the fishing termtrolling where you cast out your line, and see if you can get somebody to take the bait. Once they take the bait, you take em for a ride.

    When the word is used on the Internet it's meant in the fantasy monster way. Specifically it comes from the story of the troll underneath the bridge, interfering with people trying to cross the bridge.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago

    polemic

    po·lem·ic /pəˈlemik/ noun a speech or piece of writing expressing a strongly critical attack on or controversial opinion about someone or something. "his polemic against the cultural relativism of the Sixties"

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    No, all bad online behavior now is “bots.”

    At least that’s how people in the comments on lemmy and Reddit label them.

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  • [+] 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago

    No, all bad online behavior now is “bots.”

    At least that’s how people in the comments on lemmy and Reddit label them.

    I, and others, have distinguish between shills and bots.

    Usually people use shilling as an alternative to astroturfing by paid human beings, while bots are just AI/programming posting.

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Shill is a banned word on reddit still right?

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    There's no way it's a banned word. /r/neoliberal has a "neoliberal shill of the year" award where they vote for their favorite economist based on social media posts, books released that year, etc.

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