Trolls from Olgino
"Trolls from Olgino" is an internet slang term which appeared in late 2014, referring to a series of fake accounts registered on major discussion boards (social networks, online newspaper sites, video hosting services, etc.) and used for promoting the Russian point of view in topics currently involving Ukraine and the Middle East. Stemming from an international article, published in December 2014, the term gained worldwide media attention by June 2015, when one of the offices of a Russian company named "Internet Research Agency", based in Saint-Petersburg, has been exposed with data from fake accounts used for internet trolling. Subsequently, there were news reports of individuals receiving monetary compensation for performing these tasks.
Contents
Origin[edit]
The group's office in Olgino, historical district of Saint Petersburg, was exposed by Russian journalists in 2013.[1][2] Lately "trolls from Olgino" and "Olgino's trolls" became general concepts defining trolls, who spread pro-Russian propaganda, not only from the office in Olgino.[3][4]
Organizers[edit]
Strategical[edit]
Russian newspaper "Vedomosti" links the approved by Russian authorities strategy of public consciousness manipulation through new media to Vyacheslav Volodin, first deputy of the Vladimir Putin Presidential Administration of Russia.[5][6][7]
Tactical[edit]
According to journalists’ investigations, the office in Olgino was officially named as "Internet researches agency" Ltd. (Russian: ООО «Агентство интернет-исследований»).[1][2][8] The company was founded in the summer of 2013.[5]
Journalists also point out that Alexey Soskovets, who previously participated in Russian youth political community, was directly connected to the office in Olgino. His company "North-western service agency" won 17 or 18 (according to different sources) competitions for organizing celebrations, forums and sport competitions for authorities of Saint Petersburg. The agency was the only competitor in half of those competitions. In the summer of 2013 the agency also won a tender for providing freight services for participants of "Seliger" camp.[1][2][9]
In 2014, according to Russian media information, a company "Internet researches" Ltd. (Russian: ООО «Интернет исследования»), founded in March 2014, joined the agency's activity. Journalists of "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper claim this company to be a successor of "Internet researches agency" Ltd.[10] "Internet researches" Ltd. is considered to be linked to Yevgeniy Prigozhin, head of "Concord" holding. "Trolls of Olgino" from Saint Petersburg are considered to be his project. As for October 2014, the company now belongs to Mikhail Bystrov, who formerly was the head of the police station at Moscow district of Saint Petersburg.[11]
Russian media point out that according to documents, published by hackers from "Anonymous international", "Concord" is directly involved with trolling administration through the agency. Particularly, researchers cite e-mail correspondence, in which "Concord" gives instructions to trolls and receives reports on accomplished work back.[4] According to journalists' information, this holding organized banquets in Kremlin and also cooperated with "Voentorg" and Russian Ministry of Defence.[12]
Despite links to Alexei Soskovets, Nadejda Orlova, deputy of the head of the committee for youth policy in Saint Petersburg, disclaimed connection between her institution and trolling offices.[1][2]
Offices[edit]
In Saint Petersburg[edit]
In Olgino[edit]
59°59′42.7″N 30°07′49.7″E / 59.995194°N 30.130472°E
As reported by "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper, in the end of August 2013, the following message appeared in social networks: "Internet operators wanted! Job at chic office in Olgino!!! (st. Staraya Derevnia), salary 25960 per month. Task: posting comments at profile sites in the Internet, writing thematic posts, blogs, social networks. Reports via screenshots. Individual schedule <...> Payment every week, 1180 per shift (from 8.00 to 16.00, from 10.30 to 18.30, from 14.00 to 22.00). PAYMENTS EVERY WEEK AND FREE MEALS!!! Official job placement or according to contract (at will). Tuition possible."[1][2]
As reported by media and former employees, the office in Olgino had already existed and has been functioning since September 2013. It was situated in a white cottage,[3] 15 minutes by an underground railway from "Staraya Derevnia" station, opposite "Olgino" railway station.[1][2] Workplaces for troll-employees were placed in basement rooms.[9][12][13]
Savushkina Street[edit]
59°59′03.5″N 30°16′19.1″E / 59.984306°N 30.271972°E
According to Russian online newspaper DP.Ru, several months before October 2014 the office moved from Olgino to a four story building at 55 Savushkina Street.[11][12][14] As reported by journalists, the building is officially an object of uncompleted construction and stays as such as for March 2015.[10]
A New York Times investigative reporter was told that the "Internet Research Agency" had shortened its name to "Internet Research," and as of June 2015, had been asked to leave the 55 Savushkina Street location "a couple of months ago", because "it was giving the entire building a bad reputation." A possibly related organization, “FAN,” or Federal News Agency, was currently located in the building. The NYT article describes various experiences reported by former employees of the "Internet Research Agency" at the Savushkina Street location. It also describes several disruptive hoaxes in the US and Europe, such as the Columbian Chemicals Plant explosion hoax, that may be attributable to the "Internet Research Agency" or similar Russian-based organizations.[15]
In other cities[edit]
"Novaya Gazeta" newspaper informed that, according to Alexey Soskovets, head of the office in Olgino, "North-Western service agency" was hiring employees for job in similar projects in Moscow and other cities in 2013.[1][2]
Work organization[edit]
The highest level[edit]
Russian online newspaper "Fontanka.ru" analyzed documents, published by hackers in May 2014. According to journalists, it appears that under the same leadership the specific plan or scheme was designed for Internet agencies with hundreds of paid bloggers and commenters as well as several media in Russia and Ukraine in addition with some low key ("pocket") social organizations. The monthly budget of such scheme is 33.5 million Russian rubles, 17 million of which are in cash.[4][5][6]
Low level[edit]
According to the data of "Moy rayon" newspaper, during existence of the office in Olgino approximately 300 troll-employees were working in it. Journalists-investigators found out that at that time their daily norm was 100 comments.[1][2][8]
According to the publication BuzzFeed which refer to the public documents, in June 2014 600 people were generally employed in the trolls' office.[16][17] According to the employees of "Internet investigations" Ltd., which were published in the media in October 2014, at the office on the Savushkina Street about 250 people were employed. In March 2015, 400 employees were reported working. Trolls take shifts writing mainly in blogs of LiveJournal and Vkontakte, regularly throwing propagandist texts into internet. Also, among the employees are artists who draw political cartoons.[10] They are working for 12 hours every other two days. Bloggers' norm is 10 Posts per shift, at least 750 characters. A commentator norm is 126 comments and two posts per account. Each blogger is in charge of three accounts.[11][12][14]
Employee at office in Olgino earned 25 thousand Russian rubles per month; those at the office in Savushkina Street — approximately 40 thousand Russian rubles.[11][14]
In May 2014, Russian online newspaper "Fontanka.ru" described schemas for plundering the budget, intended for trolling organization.[4][5][6]
Trolling thematics[edit]
According to the testimonies of the journalists-investigators and former employees of the offices, main thematics for posts and comments were:[1][2][8][11][14]
- criticism of Alexei Navalny, his sponsors, and Russian opposition in general;[10]
- criticism of Ukraine's and the United States' foreign policies, and the top politicians of these states;
- praise of policy of the Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin.
Journalists point out that thematic of trolling coincides with thematic of Russian propaganda, and emerging of their main messages also coincide in time and matter. Technical tasks for trolls are taken mainly from Russia Today channel content.[10][14]
Organized anti-Ukrainian campaign[edit]
According to the American Internet news media BuzzFeed, in the beginning of April 2014 began an organized campaign for the formation of necessary for Russian authorities public opinion in the Western countries regarding Russian armed aggression against Ukraine in 2014. Such conclusions journalists are making based on the facts which appeared in their possession. The media further informs, that the documents contain instructions for commenters at Fox News, The Huffington Post, TheBlaze, Politico and WorldNetDaily sites. The requirement for the working hours for the trolls is also mentioned - 50 comments under news articles per day. Each blogger has to manage 6 accounts on Facebook, post at least 3 posts every day, and also participate twice in the group discussions. Other employees have to manage 10 accounts on Twitter, publishing 50 tweets every day. Basing on analysis of the documents, journalists make a conclusion that Igor Osadchiy is a probable leader of the project, and the campaign itself is performed by "Internet researches agency" Ltd. Osadchiy denies his connection to the agency.[16][17]
The company is also one of the main sponsors of an anti-Western exhibition Material Evidence.[18]
| This section requires expansion. (May 2015) |
Reactions[edit]
In the end of May 2014 a hacker group from "Anonymous international" began publishing an array of documents, received from hacked emails of "Internet researches agency" managers.[5][8]
In May–June 2014, newspapers The Washington Post[19] and The Guardian informed on invasion of Internet-trolls, who massively posted pro-Russian messages in broken English in comments at news media sites. The Guardian even faced issues on comments moderation for that cause.[5][6][20]
In March 2015 a service allowing to censor sources of anti-Ukrainian propaganda in social networks inside Ukraine was launched.[21][22]
Assessments[edit]
According to the opinions of the Russian bloggers Anton Nosik, Rustem Adagamov, and Dmitriy Aleshkovskiy, paid Internet-trolls don't change public opinion. Their usage is just a way to steal budget money.[4][5][8]
Leonid Volkov, a politician working for Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, suggests that the point of sponsoring paid Internet trolling is to make the Internet so distasteful that ordinary people are not willing to participate.[15]
In June 2015, the New York Times Magazine published an extensive article by Adrian Chen, claiming that the Columbian Chemicals Plant explosion hoax in September 11, 2014, was the work of the Internet Research Agency, one of the trolling organizations linked to the Russian Government.[23]
Adjacent activity of organizers[edit]
Russian media, basing on the documents, published by hackers of "Anonymous international", point "Concord" holding to be linked to the funding of several media in Ukraine and Russia, particularly: "Kharkiv news agency",[8] "News of Neva", "Newspaper about newspapers", "Business dialog", "Journalist truth".[4]
Lawsuit[edit]
In May 2015, a trolling company employee Lyudmila Savchuk in Saint-Petersburg sued their employer for labor violations.,[24] sought to disclose its activities. Ivan Pavlov from human rights defending initiative Team 29 represented Ms. Savchuk, and the defendant "troll-factory" agreed to pay Savchuk her withheld salaries and to restore her labor rights.
See also[edit]
- Jewish Internet Defense Force
- Information security
- Primorsky District, Saint Petersburg
- Vatnik (slang)
- Astroturfing
- Web brigades
Sources[edit]
- Все о троллях. Тролли - кто они? (Russian). trolli.org.
- В Сети действительно работает банда кремлевских троллей. Имена, адреса, документы (Russian). UAINFO. 31.05.2014.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Где живут тролли. Как работают интернет-провокаторы в Санкт-Петербурге и кто ими заправляет (Russian). Novaya Gazeta. 09.09.2013
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Де живуть тролі у РФ: як працюють інтернет-провокатори в Санкт-Петербурзі і хто ними заправляє (Ukrainian). finance.ua. 05.03.2014
- ^ a b СМИ: Под Петербургом за умеренную плату ругали Навального (Russian). Lentizdat. 04.09.2013
- ^ a b c d e f Сотни троллей за миллионы (Russian). Fontanka.ru. 29.05.2014
- ^ a b c d e f g Американці розпочали полювання на проплачених Кремлем інтернет-тролів (Ukrainian). zik. 05.06.2014
- ^ a b c d В США начали охоту на проплаченных интернет-троллей из России (Russian). Criminal Ukraine. 05.06.2014
- ^ Максимальный ретвит: Лайки на Запад (Russian). Vedomosti. 21.05.2014
- ^ a b c d e f Интернет-тролли из Ольгино заговорили на английском и украинском (Russian). Moy Rayon. 30.05.2014
- ^ a b Под Петербургом обнаружено логово троллей, которые клеймят Навального и хвалят русское кино (Russian). Moy Rayon. 04.09.2013
- ^ a b c d e Как стать тролльхантером (Russian). Novaya Gazeta. #24, 11.03.2015
- ^ a b c d e СМИ: «Ольгинские тролли» стали «савушкинскими» (Russian). Lentizdat. 28.10.2014
- ^ a b c d «Кремлівські тролі» розповіли про себе: де сидять і чим займаються (Ukrainian). Radio Liberty. 16.03.2015
- ^ Тролль из Ольгино: Над Лукашенко отрывались как могли (Russian). Khartyia'97. 09.09.2014
- ^ a b c d e Тролли из Ольгино переехали в новый четырехэтажный офис на Савушкина (Russian). DP.Ru. 28.10.2014
- ^ a b Chen, Adrian (2015-06-02). "The Agency. From a nondescript office building in St. Petersburg, Russia, an army of well-paid "trolls" has tried to wreak havoc all around the Internet — and in real-life American communities.". New York Times.
- ^ a b Documents Show How Russia’s Troll Army Hit America. BuzzFeed. 02.06.2014
- ^ a b Документы показали, как армия российских "троллей" атакует Америку (Russian). InoPressa. 03.06.2014
- ^ "Emails Link Kremlin Troll Farm to Bizarre New York Photography Exhibit". StopFake.org. August 20, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ Hunting for paid Russian trolls in the Washington Post comments section. The Washington Post. 04.06.2014
- ^ The readers' editor on… pro-Russia trolling below the line on Ukraine stories. Chris Elliott. The Guardian. 04.05.2014
- ^ В Україні запустили сервіс блокування антиукраїнської пропаганди TrolleyBust (Ukrainian). watcher. 25.03.2015
- ^ TrolleyBust (Ukrainian) / (Russian). Site of service
- ^ Chen, Adrian (2015-06-02). "The Agency". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-06-03.
- ^ У Росії колишня співробітниця подала в суд на «фабрику інтернет-тролів» (Ukrainian). ТСН. 1+1. 29.05.2015
Further reading[edit]
- Olga Khazan (October 9, 2013), "Russia's Online-Comment Propaganda Army", The Atlantic
- Adrian Chen (June 2, 2015), "The Agency: From a nondescript office building in St. Petersburg, Russia, an army of well-paid "trolls" has tried to wreak havoc all around the Internet — and in real-life American communities", The New York Times Magazine
- Cory Doctrow (June 2, 2015), "Russia's troll factory", Boing Boing
- Karoun Demirjian (June 4, 2015), "A whistleblower is trying to bring down Russia’s secret Internet troll army", The Washington Post
- "Trolls for hire: Why are Russians being paid to wreak havoc online?", Q (radio show podcast) (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), June 10, 2015
External links[edit]
- Putin's Trolls. Stop Fake.
- "Russia Steps up Propaganda Push with Online 'Kremlin Trolls'". AP News. May 29, 2015.
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