ICYMI: Agent Provocateurs and the Hierarchy of Disinformation

‘A Partial Reflection of Reality’ — Internet Trolls: The Unseen Force Behind Philippines’ Politics

***Originally published December 4, 2022, republishing for new members in order to get clarity on the vast underground economy of hate-for—hire campaigns. Please take a membership to support independent investigative journalism.***

Every story leads to a story, and while I was investigating my latest Byline Media report, I stumbled upon a brilliant documentary by Undercover Asia 9 - an investigative series by CNA Insider.

The documentary is titled - Internet Trolls: The Unseen Force Behind Philippines’ Politics. In methodical detail, the producers explain the hierarchy of disinformation and how a lack of laws in the Philippines ‘render authorities helpless’. 

I had just filed my story to my UK editors when something was bothering me. Something about Duterte. I knew he had to have had help getting elected in 2016, and that help smelled a lot like Trump’s keyboard army. Sure enough, according to a report documented in the film, Duterte admitted he had hired agent provocateurs, paying $200,000 for digital manipulation of people’s minds. 

Despite the lack of laws in the Philippines, the operatives who run these toxic digital attack campaigns know they are unethical, which is why they go to so much trouble to hide them. They pay in cash, and the operatives at the bottom do not tell anyone what they do for work. 

Many of you have been along with me on this journey for years, and you have seen the targeted online disinformation campaigns my friends and I have weathered as we relentlessly pursue truth. The dark clouds of untruth follow us wherever we go, and we expose them and their tactics every step of the way.

“You think all the things you are seeing is a reflection of reality but it is not,” said Cleve Arguelles, a political scientist interviewed in the film. “It’s only a partial reflection of reality.”

A partial reflection of reality is also known as malinformation - where a piece of truth is manipulated and weaponized to harm the target victim. 

The film shows how the campaigns play out in three phases - creation of core narratives, onboarding of influencers and fake account operatives, and dissemination and amplification on social media. The bottom rung trolls are trained to target emotions. 

The Philippines offers a large troll-for-hire market, where the paid trolls can earn seven times more than the average citizen. But it’s important to note their bosses, who are anonymous, make 80 percent of the overall take. 

The hierarchy of the disinformation networks are known as the Chief Architects, many of whom are former journalists. They are followed by digital influencers, who are then followed by the paid trolls at the bottom. 

I can name a million Twitter campaigns that include this hierarchical structure, including the ones that have harmed me and my friends. 

It is important to focus on exposing the Chief Architects and the Influencers. I hope some of the bottom rung trolls turn on their cheapie masters and join us.