I think The Daily Mail is probably the one you had in mind.
Paul Krugman discusses the posters that he has banned, whom he calls “trolls” and “sock puppets”.
That’s why this thread was in ATMB.
Who knew Krugman was our newest SDMB moderator? Let us all join now in welcoming him!
Let the goat and squid ensue!
ETA: And send man an honorary SDMB Coffee Mug!
I’m guessing it was posted in ATMB because it was intended as a question about people who have posted here on SDMB.
In particular, looking for official response on membership.
Sorta, but not really. What I was really mixing it up with was The Sun. I had remembered the phone hacking scandal, but I forgot who was who. It’s also amusing to note that The Sun is owned by… wait for it… Rupert Murdoch.
Because I was asking a question about this message board: what’s the prevalence of shills here? True, it’s a matter for speculation. But the mods are particularly equipped to engage in such.
No worries about the move though. I was just answering the question. Mods feel free to move this thread wherever you want, including the Game Room. Frankly, this could go in GQ, MPSIMS, GD, Cafe Society or IMHO.
ETA: I’ll address the blistering attacks on my honor, decency, patriotism, personal hygiene, distorted perceptions and various sundry chips on my shoulder later or at an appropriate time.
You forgot fashion style. Because, buddy, crocs aren’t considered dress shoes anywhere.
Media and government shills definitely want to reach that coveted message board audience, right after they’re done posting on Myspace.
During the last election, I meant to start a Pit or ATMB thread about the sudden influx of far-right, inexplicably immune to reason, new posters who signed up, tended to support one another, and then disappeared. I didn’t because it wasn’t something I was really keeping track of, so couldn’t provide sufficient details; wasn’t sure if that lack of specificity also meant confirmation bias/lack of an actual influx; and didn’t want to directly call or appear to call anyone a sock.
I don’t recall a large flood of super-left leaning and equally idiotic posters (note: it’s not idiotic to hold conservative opinions; it’s idiotic to express things that lack a grounding in reality), suggesting that it was either an organized, very broad effort (we’re just a blip on the net, after all) or some sort of Stormfront-like raiding party by the Freepers or a similarly unintelligible conservative gang of idiots.
But then again, I’m also convinced that there are two or three very sad people out there who keep making serial sock puppets to pull on MPSIMS heartstrings or do their best to piss off the board.
Hell, if any of the moderation staff are getting paid, it’s not by the SDMB…we gotta get our spending money SOMEWHERE, you know.
Yes, there are. We have A List. You don’t want to be on it.
::Eyes widen::
I better write this down.
Microsoft, bless its sordid little heart, is an internet astroturfing pioneer.
Wikipedia has an article on the practice here that includes various countries’ actions against it (whether effective or not, obviously).
Well, he ought to know because he is one.
I know you are but am I?!11?!?!
Wikipedia cracks down on PR shills, bans 250 users for sockpuppetry and suspicious activity.
Earlier expose by vice.com. An outfit calling itself Wiki-PR has the slogan: “We write it. We manage it. You never worry about Wikipedia again."
Not until I collect my Xmas shill bonus.
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been accused of being a Big Pharma/Big Medicine shill on health forums, I could buy everyone in this thread a Happy Meal (or a nice cauliflower/kale salad for you health nuts).
If it sounds like I’m not very angsty about the idea that shills may be posting in online forums/comment sections, that’s correct. What I find much more annoying is the default tactic assumed by people whose pitiful arguments are shot down in flames - falling back on denouncing their opponents as shills.*
*this is doubly idiotic when such accusations come from alt med supporters in forums infested with spammers/shills for various alt med products and services (whose activities are not questioned).
Well, Big Pharma does pay your bills. 
I’m also wondering whether it is believed that a few of our resident socks are paid shills. That is the topic of this thread: what’s the prevalence of directly paid shills on this message board?
– — …- -. --. — -.
Jackmannii - I’ve never read the accusations in question, but I sort of doubt that you were being accused of receiving payments in return for your promotion of Big Pharma. “Shilling for Big Pharma” could merely allude to an assertion about your vocation or simply a predictable stance. This thread is devoted to those who actually are compensated directly for posting at the SDMB.
Paranoid? Well, no: the comment section of blog posts have far less reach than this message board.
Naive? Well, no: I’m well aware of the existence of spammers. I would have thought though that the PR dept of a media outlet wouldn’t bother with message boards, but I guess I was wrong.
Senegoid - The Krugman citation backed up the claims about Fox News. I was adding substantiation.
[QUOTE=Stink Fish Pot]
…to think that FOX or any other organization would hire a shill to rant on a blog is a bit much. Not because they would be above doing it, but because…
[/QUOTE]
…which explains why I provided multiple citations. The author who uncovered this received confirmation from 4 Fox News employees.
Hey, I’ve been accused of paranoia and naivete. You would think it would be one or the other.
Where are all these paid-shill job postings that everyone keeps talking about? Seems like a pretty lucrative field. I bet it’s all just one guy in his mom’s basement.
I’ll rank this below businesses complaining to Yelp and having negative (yet accurate) reviews removed.
Of course you do.
I’m not going to dig up a cite for you. This is the pit. Find your own fuckin’ cite, our keep your head in the sand. I know it to be a fact because *it is *a fact. Don’t worry… Both sides do it. That’s the way it is. I was given keys to the magic kingdom once, and saw the man behind the curtain. The sausage being made, so to speak. I know.
If you think it is just the mean old Republicans doing this, you really need to grow up. Or believe in the superiority of the left wing. Here, let me do this for you. :smack: Just multiply by 100, and maybe you will see a spark.