Something Interesting Alexa Showed Me Regarding Recent Trolling Activity

[I Am Not A Mod]

Hi everyone.

One of the things I have noticed lately is that, at least from where I sit, trolling activity has increased greatly recently. Many relatively new accounts, or older accounts with previously little or no activity, suddenly coming on and posting negative comments about President Reagan, saying they are lifelong Republicans but no more, and a bunch of other things that could be legitimately held beliefs on their part but when taken in aggregate make it clear that there is quite a bit of trolling action going on.

I found the following to be quite illuminating. Alexa.com is a website which tracks web usage for those who voluntarily use their software (a browser toolbar extension). They accumulate the data and compile it into useful reports, such as traffic reports. They also report on related topics-- "People who visit this page also visit".

So, what sites do "People who visit" Free Republic also visit?

• The Hollow Planet:

  "Progressive-left activist news and essays with an extensive link page to all things counter cultural and activist."

• Co-op America:

  "Contains information on boycott campaigns, sweatshop activism, public service, barter and LETSystems to regenerate local economies in the service of local needs."

• CIVICUS - Worldwide Alliance for Citizen Participation:

  ""Promoting a worldwide community of informed, inspired, committed citizens who are actively engaged in confronting the challenges facing humanity." In English, Español, Français."

• Emc:

  " People who visit this page also visit:

  • Clarity Web-Portal for Issue Resolution and Social Action. clarity.aurdev.com - Site info 
    
    
  • A SEED Europe www.aseed.net - Site info 
    
    
  • Mobilization for Global Justice www.a16.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Resist Corporate Rule tao.ca/~resist - Site info 
    
    
  • Co-op America www.coopamerica.org - Site info 
    
    
  • International Action Center www.iacenter.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Free Republic www.freerepublic.com - Site info 
    
    
  • Do Something www.dosomething.org - Site info 
    
    
  • CIVICUS - Worldwide Alliance for Citizen Participation www.civicus.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Essential.Org www.essential.org - Site info 
    
    

  "

• OpenWords.Com:

  " People who visit this page also visit:

  • Celebrate Capitalism www.celebratecapitalism.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Latino Education Network Service palante.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Industrial Workers of the World www.iww.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Save The Good Friday Agreement Coal members.tripod.com/SavetheGFA - Site info 
    
    
  • A Call To Charms calltocharms.faithweb.com - Site info 
    
    
  • Photo of Fritz Weidner www.pivot.net/~weidner/fcw150x150-1.jpg - Site info 
    
    
  • [maine Greens Update] Fritz Weidner lists.psouth.net/pipermail/mainegreens/2002-June/000008... - Site info 
    
    
  • Woodstock Electronic Press ewoodstock.com - Site info 
    
    
  • Portalscripts.com www.portalscripts.com - Site info 
    
    
  • OurVoices www.ourvoices.org - Site info 
    
    

  "

• League of the NewJust:

  "Concerned about growing environmental harm, the increasing power of transnational corporations and other matters which affect the quality of life on Earth. "The chains of capitalism and the quest for profit obscures the path leading to true happiness and self-actualisation. In ignorant denial, capitalists fail to acknowledge the inherent unsustainability of their system as well as its intrinsic wrongdoing, crime against, not only humanity, but against a larger purpose, against mother Gaia and the great interrelated systems of the Universe."

• Government Is Not God Political Action Committee:

  "GING-PAC raises support for socially conservative legislation and candidates" [Hey! A conservative one! Who would have thought?]

• Focus on the Family:

  "Offers practical help for your marriage and child-rearing. Recent magazine articles, letters from Dr. James Dobson, news, and RealAudio broadcasts." [Score another for the good guys]

• Do Something:

  "Encourages young people to create their own vision for making a difference in their community and provides them with the resources and support needed."

• Billboard Liberation Front:

  ""Improving" outdoor advertising since 1977."

• Facing the Future presents Creative Action:

  "We are often overwhelmed by global problems - hungry childgren, rainforest destruction, over population and global warming. Creative Action helps you get involved in solving critical global issues."

• A SEED Europe:

  "Action for Solidarity, Equality, Environment and Development, a global organization linking youth groups and individuals. Information on campaigns, action reports, news, agenda and publications for ordering or download."

• Mobilization for Global Justice:

  " People who visit this page also visit:

  • The Hollow Planet members.primary.net/~gmarshal - Site info 
    
    
  • Resist Corporate Rule tao.ca/~resist - Site info 
    
    
  • Direct Action Youth www.geocities.com/djh_uk/day.html - Site info 
    
    
  • Facing the Future presents Creative Action www.creativeaction.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Co-op America www.coopamerica.org - Site info 
    
    
  • CIVICUS - Worldwide Alliance for Citizen Participation www.civicus.org - Site info 
    
    
  • A SEED Europe www.aseed.net - Site info 
    
    
  • Clarity Web-Portal for Issue Resolution and Social Action. clarity.aurdev.com - Site info 
    
    
  • 50 Years Is Enough www.50years.org - Site info 
    
    
  • Indymedia.org www.indymedia.org - Site info 
    
    

  See more Related Links...

  ---

  People who are interested in this site also bought:

  "

• Clarity Web-Portal for Issue Resolution and Social Action.:

  "Details solutions and everyday actions we can take to confront the many issues we face: environmental, social, governmental, and economic. Provides links, essays, articles, and other resources to that end. Takes on a systemic/holistic view of the world and the issues we are facing."

• Drudgereport.com: Hi Matt. Keep up the good work.

• Win Without War:

  "Coalition of national organizations offering a mainstream voice advocating alternatives to preemptive war against Iraq. Current actions, member organizations, alternatives to war, press room, and resources."

• Pax Christi USA:

  "Christian non-violence organization. Includes press releases and information on memberships."

• Newsmax.com Keep up the good work, Carl.

• International ANSWER:

  "Activist group against war and racism, formed in response to the rush to war following the September 11 attacks. Background reading, fact sheets, campaigns, petitions, action alerts, and resources for activism."

• Worldnetdaily.com

  Somehow, I doubt all those people from the left-leaning sites on this list are just lurking and browsing here.

  Just some food for thought.

[thoughtomator]

Billboard Liberation Front, where have you been all my life?

[retrokitten]

Thought you might be interested in this, posted on one of the Rush threads.

"nothing in particular-I read FR everyday-rarely post because i don't usually have the time to wait out responses-I just happen to like Randi's showGlenn beck's too.(esp. haiku brittany bit0I think FRpers should examine why they always have to either physically demean or ascribe "Oral" activites to anyone that they disagree with.this is ah...christian???"

Run on sentences, minor Christian bashing,long in active account (one post 8/03, the rest in 02) ...seems to fit the same MO.

Here's the thread... Link

[Saundra Duffy]

Not just about Reagan.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the data interpretation:

You posted: "Many relatively new accounts, or older accounts with previously little or no activity, suddenly coming on and posting negative comments about President Reagan, saying they are lifelong Republicans but no more, and a bunch of other things that could be legitimately held beliefs on their part but when taken in aggregate make it clear that there is quite a bit of trolling action going on."

I have often seen the opposite of some who hate GW 24/7. They claim to have voted for Reagan twice, and the Republican party abandoned them. Now they hate GW with a passion. Many of these posers have been on FR for years claiming to be a conservative. Some even use the old seminar caller routine, "I voted for GW and never again!"

Often the above group will try to turn every thread into a bashing of Mexican illegal aliens to again bash GW.

Another trick of these deep planted pseudo conservatives, is to post every AFP, Reuters, AP article that bashes GW and our military. Then when challenged, they say they are just posting the news. When you do a search on what they have posted, it looks like an organized hit list against our president and republicans.

There is another group that waits until good economic news is posted. Then they rally together to attack the good news and try to make it not important. Come to any post re good financial/economy news and watch the same ones bash the economy and our president like they are on the payroll of George $oreA$$.

Thanks again for your data interpretation.

[EuroFrog]

Will the real wackos please stand up?

Problem is how do you figure out who they are and get rid of them.

[EuroFrog]

Wow, this is going to be my 502'nd reply.

[Grampa Dave]

You posted ""Well, I am a lifelong Republican ever since the Jurasic era, but unless President Bush campaigns for __( enter your favorite fringed johnny-one-note issue here )__ then this Republican will not be voting for him again!"

If Jim charged 1$ for everytime a phoney conservative posted the above or some version of it, we would never have to have a Freepathon again.

[Jackie-O]

Thanks for the ping to this thread!
Bookmarked.

[EdReform]

Agreed! Thanks for the ping, Dave!

[blackie]

Right-on Brother Dave ~ you've nailed it!

Be Well ~ Be Armed ~ Be Safe ~ Molon Labe!

[Tempest]

The Left will always troll for the left are a bunch of trolls. Ohhhhh I hope I upset a few trolls with that one =^D

[cyborg]

Viking tiger... the trolls are getting onry and slick. Maybe a FR troll pig to sniff them out, the way pigs sniff out truffles.

[DBrow]

Some of these people who post anti-Reagan or anti-Bush stuff could be using FR to express their concerns and discuss issues- IMO this is OK, is this not why we are here? And if all they post is anti-conservative stuff, are we not all able to handle discussion on any topic? Or to ignore stupid comments?

Also, if liberals want to post and discuss issues, why not, if they stick to the rules (and wear Kevlar underwear).

Organized disruptors or individuals whose sole motive is to disrupt are bad and should go, but I do not want to see all "dissenters" immediately banned. I have been banned from DU many times and I do not think we should go the same route.

[Devil_Anse]

Why, thank you!

"bothsidesnow" added to the list.

Now, "bothsidesnow" had signed up last year. But bothsidesnow only made one post or so back then, I think. Then the account lay dormant for, what? Several months?

Now bothsidesnow is in here doing exactly what the other troll (see my list of 20+ names) does. Because bothsidesnow IS that same troll!

But I just hope that the mods will think about this: A person could sign up under multiple names, and make his/her "identities" make one or two posts--polite, nice posts. Then they could leave all their identities lying out there, dormant, and THEN all at once they could bring them all to life at will--perhaps during a busy traffic time. Gak.

Most of the names I listed in my Post 38 list (to which bothsidesnow has been added) are NOT banned names.

[retrokitten]

That's the weird thing. They aren't typical trolls who post obviously inflammatory statements. Maybe we just don't understand because we are too "judgemental". ;-)

[TigersEye]

It has been amazing to see how many accounts dating as far back as '98 suddenly come alive with a leftist troll. Someone on the dark side registered a whole bank of them for future use.

[js1138]

You also have to consider that many of us visit the Leftists' sites to know the enemy.

One of the reasons I come here is for one stop shopping. Everything gets posted here from all kinds of sources, left and right. Occasionally a left wing hit piece gets zotted, but if there is something negative out there about conservatives, we do not get blindsided.

[TigersEye]

It says to me that they are not just cranks who want to vent on us. This is planned subterfuge. Appearing to be 'reasonable' and generally 'conservative' they plant seeds of doubt and enter little barbs to disrupt discussion.

[Devil_Anse]

Oh, trust me, they (it) can get quite inflammatory at times. It also sends freepmails at times, and those can get rough.

I think it is trying not to do anything TOO overtly illegal, trying not to do anything that will bring the mods down on it and get it banned.

But when you go to threads about a crime in Kentucky, then a crime in Maryland, then a rape/murder in Minnesota, then Rush Limbaugh and some Palm Beach Co., Florida, local talk host, and ON EVERY THREAD you see this SAME exact writing style, and the person is ALWAYS claiming to know someone in the news article PERSONALLY, it can get annoying. And the troll KNOWS this!

[Devil_Anse]

Exactly!!