Isn't This Fun ...
Blanton's & Ashton's reports that a group called Netvocates has been watching their blog. Who or what is Netvocates, you might ask? Their website claims they go after blogs who say bad things about a company or its products, but B&A has them dead to rights:
Basically, Netvocates is an organization that sends people out to web logs to post propoganda in comments. They appear to be tied to conservatives and there appears to be a tie to townhall.com, the ultra-right-wing web site. Cybersoc.com spent time running down the facts on Netvocates and the man behind Netvocates. I recommend that people who read blogs check out the Cybersoc.com posting. Education is armor.
At Agitprop, we regularly say awful things about religion, the administration, the right wing, psychotic authors, college republicans, and the odd automobile. Never seen Netvocates on the 'ol Sitemeter, but that doesn't mean they haven't been watching.
Agitprop respectfully suggests that all bloggers, big or small, tag all your posts with the Netvocates label. We've got to help them watch us, after all.
Sadly, No! and Watch Me Sleep have more. graphic: Comandante Agi.
tags: bush u.s. netvocates chip griffin impeach bush internet orwell coulter townhall.com sitemeter
"...blogs can serve as an effective communications tool to promote key messages to targeted audiences."
spamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthemspamthem
Posted by: Fred | June 14, 2006 at 07:09 AM
This is crazy. I thought that posting of mine was pretty innocuous because I would think we would all expect this sort of thing. I mean, a group that posts propoganda in comments seems like a natural progression in these times of PR uber alles. But the little innocuous posting is attracting a lot of traffic. It's weird. I always figured that the consistency of the positions taken by conservatives in the comments sections of liberal blogs indicated an organized effort to skew the discussion and make a certain set of points, so I wasn't actually surprised to find there was an organization that did it. The only thing that surprised me was that they left footprints to track them by. I can't believe people are surprised by it.
Posted by: DBK | June 14, 2006 at 07:37 AM
I can't believe people are surprised by it.
Agreed ... did you see that comment that Griffin left over at Cybersoc? Don't worry, be happy, nothing to see here ...
Right.
Posted by: blogenfreude | June 14, 2006 at 07:45 AM
I'll bet those clowns over at Little Green Fascists have something to do with this...
Posted by: actor212 | June 14, 2006 at 08:40 AM
Almost sounds like a joke! The "Blog Intelligence and Advocacy Service (BIAS)" is especially weird! Like the bad guys in the old batman series... their name gives them away.
It's creepy alright.
Posted by: HelenWheels | June 14, 2006 at 09:07 AM
As if blogs pose a credible threat to anything!?! Don't get me wrong, I think we all do great work is sharing and spreading information and opinion, but the "average Joe" just isn't interested in what we have to say. Damn, these conservatives need to get a life.
Posted by: Comandante Agi | June 14, 2006 at 09:21 AM
I'm thinking of starting my own Lefty version of this service called "TrollTastics."(You get to pick your own screen name) Who's with me?
Posted by: Robot Buddha | June 14, 2006 at 10:35 AM
You should be pleased that that nice Big Brother is looking out for you, young man!
Posted by: Tata | June 14, 2006 at 10:35 AM
I have no idea how to be a troll. Perhaps that is a post in itself, what say you Mr. Blogenfreude? Then we can join together as Robot Buddha suggests and have some fun with this latest assault to our privacy.
Trolling 101
Rule #1: Whatever the comment section's prevailing sentiment seems to be, choose the opposite tack and state your position as obscenely as possible.
Rule #2: There will be nobody caught not drinking...
Posted by: litbrit | June 14, 2006 at 10:42 AM
Never had any visits from Netvocates. Had the kind folks at Fort Meade (whenever I write about CIFA) and Rep. Pombo's staffers (when ever I trash him), but they haven't left any comments.
But I'll keep an eye out.
Posted by: Tom Hilton | June 14, 2006 at 10:49 AM
Tom, the idea of "keeping an eye out" just sounds creepier even than Netvocates. Put that organ back in that socket and behave yourself!
Posted by: DBK | June 14, 2006 at 10:57 AM
Had the kind folks at Fort Meade (whenever I write about CIFA) ...
Ft. Meade has been on Agitprop today as has the Air Force, although not necessarily regarding this post. Hopefully they're just regular readers, although they seem to read real fast ...
Posted by: blogenfreude | June 14, 2006 at 11:05 AM
just for you:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agi_t_prop/167232822/
Posted by: Comandante Agi | June 14, 2006 at 01:09 PM
Robot Bhudda, I think that's a fabulous plan. Then we can emulate the troll of all trolls, Sassy Chimpanzee, and say things like Bwahhhhaaaa.
Posted by: DivaJood | June 14, 2006 at 01:28 PM
Just plain freaky.
Posted by: The CultureGhost | June 14, 2006 at 09:33 PM
I wonder if there is a way to make some money off of this?
Are therse people just doing it out of their love of WalMart, HMO's and Dell Computers?
Helen, Love the Batman reference!
Posted by: Crackpot Press | June 15, 2006 at 08:27 AM
I've had a few visits by them, the last being on a post regarding Net Neutrality.
Posted by: Creature | June 15, 2006 at 10:29 AM
Oh, man... I used to manage a place like Netvocates - only we focused on video games, not politics.
The Culture Ghost asks: I wonder if there is a way to make some money off of this?
Tons.
Companies would pay us lots to spam the hell out of forums, blogs and message boards with gently-designed messaging and advertorial. The best "Marketing Ambassadors" have been in online communities and boards forever and can actually sway opinion. The worst are easy to spot and are obviously spam.
There are some big companies spending boat-loads of cash tracking/influencing ALL online communication platforms. Trust me - I have seen it in action.
Of course, I don't work there anymore. All that lying made me sick. I'd be happy to give the Tricks of the Trade, however.
Posted by: misspelledyoth | June 15, 2006 at 08:53 PM
Fred is dead on: People are surprised by this disclosure?
Gee, ya'll really thought that there were that many double-digit IQ blog commenters?
I started suspecting this @ 7/11/01, on the "Israel and Palestine" Yahoo! message board.
Very curious, that message board, especially in the days leading up to 911.
That's all I will say, unless someone asks for more detail. I will say I accused many a poster of being a paid propagandist on that message board. Before 911 occured.
Odder too, how it disappeared by 9/14/01, while being the most visited and commented upon message board that Yahoo! had going at the time.
On the other hand, a post-911 message board "Bush Soars In The Polls" lasted until late 2004, even as his poll numbers declined.
Huh. Go figure.
Posted by: farang | June 16, 2006 at 02:28 AM
The Us gov were tracking and psy-oping Indymedia sites and, as you say, Yahoo groups since they began. I was seeing .mil IP's show up way back when. It's not at all surprising someone's making a buck off it.
Posted by: Republic of Palau | June 16, 2006 at 05:14 AM
Sabotage trolling 101. Take the side of the people you don't like and then apply the principles of negative advertising. For instance, if you didn't like a brand of toothpaste doing well, pretend to be a crack wh0re who has nothing but praise for the product. This will offend fence-sitters who really haven't made up their mind.
If you don't like something conservative, say Nazi things while you endorse the hated concept. Feign being a lesbian witch who has sex with children if you hate something leftist and chances are you'll taint the foe.
Get the picture?
Posted by: AWTD | June 16, 2006 at 01:32 PM
Cyveillance are another to watch for, they look like most any other visitors in your logs unless you know to look up the IP#. The government(probably more than one) are also among their clients.
Posted by: Brother John | June 16, 2006 at 04:37 PM
Tar and Feathers Honey
http://www.crusaderbunnypants.blogspot.com
Posted by: crusader bunnypants | June 16, 2006 at 06:24 PM
good point. I like to see some on eq2 gold?
Posted by: ming | December 21, 2006 at 01:57 PM