Is Free Republic under Digital-Astroturfing Attack?

June 14, 2015 | Isara

[Isara]

We heard the news about Hillary's fake Twitter and Facebook followers and her operatives pretending to be her regular supporters. Is it possible that it also is happening right here on Free Republic Web site?

Free Republic is a premier Conservative site. Most of us know who, among the presidential candidates, is the most Conservative. Our candidate happens to be effective in his campaigning also. Our enemies know that and fear him the most. Naturally, Free Republic is turning into a battleground.

We don't know who they are: other Republican campaign operatives, GOPe, Hillary's camp, Democratic operatives, union thugs, Castro brothers, ISIS, LGBT, ACLU, etc. But they all share one common goal - to take Ted Cruz out. Since trust is Ted Cruz's strong point, they are trying to erode our trust of him.

You may notice that they came in the threads about Ted Cruz in teams, 2 or more at the same time. No matter how much we gave them the facts, these same people went to the next thread and repeated the same misinformation over and over again. This is why I think we are under attack.

Their strategies are:

• misinformation – lying about it if necessary
• muddling the issues leading to confusion and distrust
• disparaging comments by pretending to be disgruntled supporters
• posting old articles to open up the opportunity for his/her team to join the attack

I've detected that some patterns of their posting were shared among these operatives. Is it possible that there are a few of them pretending to be a lot more, just like Hillary's Twitter and Facebook followers?

[Alas Babylon!]

I am a sleeper, especially on Sundays. I wake up early and post the Sunday Morning Talk Show thread, and then take a nap.

In fact, I just woke up an hour ago...

[dforest]

I get sick of that Zapping of people who don’t totally agree with any certain crowd opinion. Nobody should have to make up their mind yet.

Except I would be all for zotting Jeb Bushies. LOL

[Isara]

We are going to go the distance and WIN!

Here, here!

[BykrBayb]

Curiouser and curiouser!

[justa-hairyape]

Not this crap again. Here is the true conspiracy. The Cruz critics are closet Putin loving homos.

[righttackle44]

Be helpful for those of us who don't speak geek, metrosexual, or techno, if you 'splain digital-astroturfing attack. (As in, you gotta lot of 'splaining to do, Lucy.) What is it, what does it do, and why one should worry about it?

[Hot Tabasco]

Our candidate happens to be effective in his campaigning also.

Just who is "OUR" candidate and when was "HE/SHE" inaugurated as "OUR CANDIDATE"?

[Isara]

I was a huge Cruz fanboi; He was the only potential candidate that I really liked, the only one I sent money to...

Until His Wife’s Masters at Goldman-Sachs convinced him that his bread would be better buttered by them than by us mere peasants.

Now I despair not only by being stabbed in the back by the only one I had much hope for, but by the blind faith that so many at FR put into him (and Paul Ryan)

LegendHasIt, are you giving us an example of number 3 strategy? LOL!

[Reno89519]

Nor I. And what is this about “our candidate”? Did Jim endorse a candidate?

[Isara]

If you can bring facts/links to the exchange do it. Most capable of critical thought can see who the individual is who attempts to evade and deceive.

I'm glad to hear that.

[PGalt]

Good, funny, skeptical, inquisitive, informative, enjoyable Free Republic thread. Typical. BTTT!

[KeyLargo]

Huh? Usually trolls can be easily outed after just a few posts.

[Reno89519]

Yes, it does seem that Cruz has fizzled and maybe shown his true colors. Some of the possible alternatives are difficult to consider because a few people want to spam everyone about them. Oh well, lots of time for things to develop.

[Iscool]

Care to call me an astroturfing troll? Overall I like Cruz but think he is dead wrong about increasing H-1B visas. Any candidate who starts putting middle class mainstream interests above corporate interests will have a very compelling message. I hope Cruz comes around here.

I think it's easy to forget that Republican politicians do not represent the middle class...Even those who are pro America like Cruz...

[Jane Long]

And what is this about “our candidate”? Did Jim endorse a candidate?

---

Good question. Courtesy ping, to the boss.

(I guess we’re all astroturfing trolls, now :-/)

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Who’s paying you for your disinformation attack?

[KeyLargo]

"In other news, water is wet and Texas summers are hot."

[Isara]

I come here to FR several times each day. I read the articles and I sometimes make inane comments. I don’t post. I don’t even know how to post. That does not make me any more or less conservative. The one thing I don’t like about FR is being roasted for not posting.

Ditto! But I know how to post. Things here got heated, so I had to jump in to counteract misinformation.

[EternalVigilance]

Ain’t that interesting. And I didn’t even go look. lol...

[huldah1776]

What difference does it make? Freepers make up their own minds on the facts, not on what others think. No worries.