This has been oft-rumoured over the past few years and it's good in a way to see proof.
Even without tools like this, the BJP are already known to have groups of people employed to push their messages across social media and reply to any dissenting posts.
It's a shame Congress is so bad at keeping up with the times to mount an effective counter party. While the AAP are too small.
I consider myself an ex-anonymous guy from the days of the yore. Think back in 2010. Around the same time, twitter was heating up as a "troll war" between three major groups. 1. Pro India. 2. Pro Pakistan. 3. Pro Kashmir independence.
I was in the 3rd group and I remember spending time, 14 hours at times to fighting trolls. There was some sort of flame wars but nothing too difficult. I remember learning a lot of stuff, improving my capabilities. I've doxed people but that was not fun.
The point is, I would have loved to have something like this back in 2009-2012.
The screenshots also show that these accounts are created using the in-app features that allow individual operatives to generate 'temporary' email addresses, activate phone numbers and by-pass programming limitations, and email and OTP verification set by WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram.
How do they verify phone number OTP's? Do they have access to SMS data through telecom companies too?
SMS OTP's are insecure anyway.
Anecdotally, I feel that some sort of tool like this is being used on YouTube as well. I don't use other 'social media' platforms.
I've created two accounts, one where I mostly watch left-wing videos and one where I watch more right-wing videos. Mostly local news and political discussions.
From the comment sections, it seems that the left-wing videos are very often 'under attack', as if someone sees a new upload from a channel and shares the link in a group, where group members comment (and dislike, RIP) in a negative way and about semi-related topics. Mostly conservative rhetoric and lately conspiracy stuff as well. Also upvoting of similar comments and negative replies to comments from 'normal' viewers.
I don't see it that often anymore in the past few months, but last year it looked like an obvious pattern to manipulate the discussion. Maybe the comments are all from unconnected individuals, but it felt unnatural and coordinated.
Actually you don't need sophisticated tools for this, just create a WhatsApp/Telegram group with a couple hundred fanatics that share links with each other to bash/hate on.
I have noticed the same behavior, looks like someone somewhere has subscribe to these left/neutral channels and they get a notification as soon as the video pops up and start disliking and commenting unrelated right wing stuff. Most users also have default auto-generated thumbnails.
>The source did not provide The Wire direct access to the Tek Fog app. They claimed that this was due to the presence of various security restrictions – including the requirement of three one-time passwords (OTPs) to login to the app dashboard and the use of a local firewall that prevents access outside of the facility.
Focus on "right-wing propaganda" is important enough to be included in headline, but never mentioned again. Suggests to me that this article is scaremongering. Do you really think any organized group isn't using social media automation at this point, be that left or right?
Why would that be your take away?
It's in use by the BJP, which is the right wing party in question. You say it's not mentioned again, but the article has 14 other mentions of the BJP, so your statement is incorrect.
Even without tools like this, the BJP are already known to have groups of people employed to push their messages across social media and reply to any dissenting posts.
It's a shame Congress is so bad at keeping up with the times to mount an effective counter party. While the AAP are too small.