I don’t know exactly when it started but something has changed at this website (Before It’s News). The site appears to be flooded with trolls spouting disinformation on the comment section of many, many stories. These comments have a number of things in common including the fact that they are of little or no value to anyone and rarely even discuss the merits, facts or premise of any story. One cannot be sure how many of them are paid by Unions or Obama’s “Organizing for America” but its a sure bet that some certainly are on someones payroll. So how do you spot a disinformation agent, Obama troll or “Obot” (the common term for these types of commentors)? I will now answer that in three ways; Two posts by a concerned user at Before It’s News and an analysis of a story with the archetypal Obot troll:

First all what is an internet troll? A commentor named “last gasp” answered this very well

lastgasp

“The purpose of a troll is not to intelligently discuss various issues but to minimize the importance of dissenting opinions by ridiculing serious participants expressing political views the troll finds objectionable.”

This commentor has another post where he tells you how to spot an Internet troll:

Criteria for helping to identify a professional troll:

1) The person’s posts are usually short and snarky, with reasonably correct spelling, grammar and punctuation, suggesting both intelligence and education.
2) The posts are on the edge of acceptability, with little or no profanity or vulgar language that would get the post flagged immediately.
3) The person has a high ratio of posts to the number of days on the site, suggesting he’s posting comments nearly full time and is getting paid to troll.
4) The person’s posts are consistently belittling, rather than intelligent objections and points

Now Let’s meet a perfect example of an Internet troll!

Analyze this story and you will find a new name to me called “doggy do” and his posts do live up to his name. Here are five of his more intelligent posts. These comments were all done in this story: /alternative/2013/06/u-n-agenda-21-to-seize-17-8-million-acres-from-missouri-and-arkansas-please-help-stop-this-land-grab-2678204.html?utm_medium=facebook-share&utm_content=awesm-publisher&utm_campaign=&utm_source=direct-b4in.info&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fb4in.info%2Fi7VX

While the story headeline is Alternative news it does indeed refer to real UN documents and a real Obama plan that challenges property rights. But rather than discuss or even disagreeing with the thesis of this story this brilliant troll has the below comments. In true Saul Alinksy fashion he manages to do it all in this small sampling of 5 of his 35 plus comments on this story. He attacks the author, other commentors, refuses to mention or discuss facts, race baits and plies what is sometimes unintelligable dribble. He or she does absolutely everthing excepts discuss the story!

doggy do

“Ah so, you finally reveal yourself. Just about all you people are basically n-haters at heart, aren’t you? Best one is a dead one, that it? Come on, we can take it! Take off the white sheet and make your appearance…”

doggy do

“Still waiting for the answer on when this will take place, and where. I want to be there to see convoys of UN troops from Uganda or somewhere trundling unnoticed across the U.S.”

doggy do

“Exactly what time of the day, and what day will this take place? I will love to see your answer. I just love the heck reading all these conspiracy theories/comedy presentations presented as fact. You people are afraid of your own footprints. you probably think some invisivible person from Venus is following you. That has to be the ONLY explanation behind those footprints that are following you.

In fact, I think that’s the basis of a great column: Venutians are following all of us, invisibly. The evidence? Strange, unexplained impressions in the ground that continue to follow me everywhere. Either that, or it’s invisible Bigfoot.”

doggy do

“And, in keeping with the above, I think you should don your super suit, stare into the sun, then jump off a tall building. I guarantee it will be but a single bound….”

doggy do

“I just found a note from the Pine Squirrel King:
Earth is in the way of an intergalactic freeway, and is scheduled to be removed in 15 minutes….so that is why they, along with Bigfoot, left. So long, and thanks for all the suet cake…..
Signed, Horace the Nut”

What to do about Obot Internet Trolls?

Internet trolls are normally paid disinformation agents and their main goal is to distract you from the story at hand.

The more they attack a story or “work it” the more important it must be. Be sure and call the troll out and then focus on the story.