• IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here.

    The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.

Pap ib

winnipegjets

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Singapore's army of online 'trolls' at front line of campaign to shape opinion at home, in West

By Rebecca Kettle, Associated Press

Singapore — Deep inside a four-story building in the Presidential palace, hundreds of workers tap away at computers on the front lines of an information war, say those who have been inside. Known as "PAP IB"" the men and women work 12-hour shifts around the clock, flooding the Internet with propaganda aimed at stamping PAP's vision on Singapore, and the world.

The PAP has always dabbled in propaganda, but in the past year its troll campaign has gone into overdrive, adding hundreds of online operatives to help counter the growing tide of opposition supporters hitting out at the ruling party.

Serena Lee (name has been changed to protect their identity), a single mother with two children, worked in the Istana "troll factory" until mid-March. The 34-year-old journalist said she had some idea of the Orwellian universe she was entering when she took the job, but underestimated its intensity and scope.

"I knew it was something bad, but of course I never suspected that it was this horrible and this large-scale," she said in an interview in her apartment, which has colorful drawings on the walls for her two preschool-age children.

She described how the trolls manage several social media accounts under different nicknames, such as JohnTan and Zeroo. Those in her department had to bash out 160 blog posts during a 12-hour shift. Trolls in other departments flooded the Internet with doctored images and pro-PAP commentary on news stories that crop up on Western news portals.

In some departments, she said, the trolls receive daily talking points on what to write and what emotions to evoke. "It seems to me that they don't know what they are doing," Serena said. "They simply repeat what they are told."

She said most of the trolls are young and are attracted by relatively high monthly salaries of $4,000 to $12,000.

Her descriptions of the work coincide with those of other former trolls who have spoken publicly, although Serena is one of the few willing to have her full name published. She quit after a little more than two months, after finding she couldn't stand being part of a propaganda machine.

The trolls are employed by Singapore Research, which well established sources say is financed by a holding company headed by an ex-PAP minister. Those who have worked there say they have little doubt that the operation is run by the PAP.

A local reporter who asked not to be named, who was one of the first to report on the "troll factory," said about 400 people work in the building. The operation moved into the Presidential Palace when it expanded in March 2014, the month the PAP Executive Committee decided to step up attacks on the Official Opposition.

_____

Anon One in Singapore contributed to this report.
 

SgParent

Alfrescian
Loyal
wah..names exposed....time for JohnTan and zeroo to change names!!
i doubt this is real.

4 to 12k per mth?

those 2 named are so emarrassingly lame, i really can't imagine the white scums paying them with anything more than a bag of chips even if the $$$$ dun belong to them.
 

methink

Alfrescian
Loyal
i doubt this is real.

4 to 12k per mth?

those 2 named are so emarrassingly lame, i really can't imagine the white scums paying them with anything more than a bag of chips even if the $$$$ dun belong to them.

Two BIG bones can? JohnTan and zeroo already salivating looking at those juicy bones!
 

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
I am writing here for free. Doing my grassroots work, for which I am not paid. I am a volunteer. Grassroots people support the government. If WP forms the next government, I will work with them too. We are non-partisan.
 

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
I am writing here for free. Doing my grassroots work, for which I am not paid. I am a volunteer. Grassroots people support the government. If WP forms the next government, I will work with them too. We are non-partisan.

Are you with us (PAP IBs) or against us? I am beginning to suspect you.
 

winnipegjets

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
I am writing here for free. Doing my grassroots work, for which I am not paid. I am a volunteer. Grassroots people support the government. If WP forms the next government, I will work with them too. We are non-partisan.

What bs ...you see the grassroots organizations in the WP constituencies working with the elected MPs?
 

laksaboy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
She said most of the trolls are young and are attracted by relatively high monthly salaries of $4,000 to $12,000.

Wow, that jobless guy at Aloha Changi shouldn't have committed suicide. A mid-career switch of jobs would have solved his problem. The barriers to entry shouldn't be too high either (no need to study course, no need for high IQ, no need for integrity).
 

laksaboy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
I am writing here for free. Doing my grassroots work, for which I am not paid. I am a volunteer. Grassroots people support the government. If WP forms the next government, I will work with them too. We are non-partisan.

Then what were these non-partisan grassroots volunteers doing? :rolleyes:

31596_362169040546726_108238950_n.jpg
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
After all the work I've done for them I didn't even get a mention!!!! :eek:
 

eatshitndie

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
i'm the chief of propaganda, and i don't even know a four-storey building exists at the istana compound. perhaps it's being confused with the faux-story that has been bandied about. :confused:

image.jpg
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
My efforts in this forum have obviously been overshadowed by JohnTan and his gang.

I promise to tackle the task with newfound gusto from today onwards.
 

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Then what were these non-partisan grassroots volunteers doing? :rolleyes:

Grassroots people work long hours with their ward's MP. It's natural for many of them to support their MP's re-election bid. They also would be more likely to be supportive of PAP and it's policies.

There's no law barring grassroots leaders from supporting WP or other opposition parties. Few people support and vote for opposition because the opposition have few good ideas and even fewer credible candiates.
 

Wunderfool

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Grassroots people work long hours with their ward's MP. It's natural for many of them to support their MP's re-election bid. They also would be more likely to be supportive of PAP and it's policies.

There's no law barring grassroots leaders from supporting WP or other opposition parties. Few people support and vote for opposition because the opposition have few good ideas and even fewer credible candiates.

Thank you for doing all the great work for our country ! Regardless of the ruling party, I am confident that the grassroots PA will serve the people of Singapore well.

It is a thankless task. No one seems to appreciate the work you do except to implicate you as a PAP propagandist. Now who wouldn't if you are serving the country and the ruling government is the PAP.

Singapore should accord you with the highest National honors in this coming SG50 National Day Service Award. Boss Sam should give 50 000 bonus points to you too as SG50 angpow.
 
Last edited:

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Thank you for doing all the great work for our country ! Regardless of the ruling party, I am confident that the grassroots PA will serve the people of Singapore well.

It is a thankless task. No one seems to appreciate the work you do except to implicate you as PAP propagandist. Now who wouldn't if you are serving the country and the ruling government is the PAP.

Singapore should accord you with the highest National honors in this coming SG50 National Day Awards. Boss Sam should give a 50 000 bonus points to you too.

Thank you. I hope one day to be like our former president S R Nathan, who was conferred the Order of Temasek medal for his loyalty and contribution to Singapore. To many singaporeans, he was a much better president than his predecessor, who was denied a State funeral. I think it had something to do with his lackustre performance while serving in the highest office.

ST_20131111_PSAWARD11_3917469e.jpg
 
Top