Sock-Puppetting and the Current Affairs Forum

10-01-2022 12:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448674#Comment_118448674

cant disagree with any of that at all

Bannasidhe · 10-01-2022 1:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448687#Comment_118448687

On the irony - saying whataboutry is killing more threads than sock puppets is now whataboutry. 🤣

As for your suggestion - Do you think I didn't try that?

There can be no discussion when the party faithful (of all parties) entrench and start lobbing whatabout bombs at each other. This has been going on for years and the net result is a hell of a lot of people just don't bother. It's the same posters having the same bicker.

CrookedJack · 10-01-2022 2:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448756#Comment_118448756

Oh no I meant the example you gave in your post there. I absolutely agree that disingenuous posting, of which whataboutery is a flavour, is the main problem affecting these discussions. I'd even see sock-puppeting as being just another aspect of it.

I agree with everything else you say here too.

Bannasidhe · 10-01-2022 2:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118449097#Comment_118449097

Apologies.

I misread.

Shebean · 10-01-2022 4:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118433850#Comment_118433850

Where's your evidence of SF sock puppetting(?)? Isn't it based on assumptions? I've seen many people criticise FF/FG and be labelled a shinner or a homophobe or racist without any proof.

Seems to me your entire thread here is designed to attack SF and accuse anyone being a sock puppet also being a shinner. It's the same we see regarding any tweet criticising government being attributed to the online SF bot army.

Sounds to me like party bias and assumption. The usual shinner crusade.

Your comment above is very unlikely considering the leader of FG himself pushed for sock puppet accounts as a party agenda.

Conspiracy theory of convenience IMO.

blanch152 · 10-01-2022 4:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450368#Comment_118450368

Bizarre, just bizarre.

ohnonotgmail · 10-01-2022 5:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450368#Comment_118450368

the example that started this thread and the example uncovered during the thread were both pro-SF posters. that is pretty much all they posted about. I think that qualifies as SF sock-puppetting.

banie01 · 10-01-2022 5:18pm

Quite interesting that a spoofer and Walt is taking issue with a ban on anyone for sock-puppeting TBH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118396571#Comment_118396571

Nonsense about a 27 year career in US CBP versus,

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118422981#Comment_118422981

Living in Dublin their whole life. Look its the internet, bullshit is part and parcel of discussion and bullshit filters need to be well attuned. But? don't lie like Trump, piss on me and try and convince its raining. Some poster's want to have evidence lain out for them, when they are arrant bullshItters themselves.

On the topic at hand and the sock-puppeting? I'm not at all surprised it happens and I'd be one of those posters who often jibed that certain regular posters were at it. I am surprised (Slightly) that it was McMurphy. I'm all for taking politics seriously but adding accounts to create a sense of support, traction or circle-jerking is a bit pointless. Either your argument stands and can be supported? Or it can't, the "thanks" don't matter IMO.

CrookedJack · 10-01-2022 5:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450368#Comment_118450368

Well now, here comes another poster to make the exact same silly point that was just dealt with. And when we respond to you @Shebean will we have another poster take their turn to make a similar allegation, in a similar way?

So once again, to summarise the facts that have been accepted by all reasonable people as presented by the mods:

The referenced user had many accounts which they used to as sock-puppets. This user posted almost entirely in a pro-SF manner. Therefore this user was a pro-SF sock-puppet.

And the quick fire round!

Does anyone know he was paid for or directed by SinnFein? No.

Is it clear that he was doing this to further a SF agenda as he saw it? Yes.

Is it so clear that claiming otherwise discredits ones position? Also yes.

Has this got anything to do with FineGael or Fianna Fail? No.

Does mention of the other political parties look like desperate deflection? Yes.

10-01-2022 6:13pm

Interesting analysis done here on online abuse of politicians on Twitter. Depressingly familiar scenarios - female politicians are subject to more abuse, and SF supporters are more toxic than those of other political parties:

https://twitter.com/breakaway_ian/status/1480564048437592069?s=21

Bubbaclaus · 10-01-2022 6:26pm

I actually don't know how people could find the time to run so many accounts. People with that amount of time on their hands won't be gone for long, that's for sure. It would be interesting to know if boards mods have any basis to catch and flag potential reregs based on IP before they even get posting - I would presume not.

I recall an instance where the McMurphy account replied to a post of mine and then almost instantly replied to the same post with an insult directed at me, which was immediately deleted before I could quote it. The McMurphy account denied this completely and said I must have been seeing things. Knowing what we know now it was obviously the case they had intended to use a dummy account to get an insult in and messed up the account they used.

10-01-2022 6:40pm

"i honestly dont know where people find the time"

37.5 hours a week with an hour lunch is the obvious conclusion

Beasty · 10-01-2022 7:21pm

I've just been doing some totting up. Over the period since March 2021 when all these extra accounts started appearing I reckon there have been around 2,000 posts across all the accounts (mostly McMurphy - maybe 1.300 or so from that account). Not a massive number compared to some, but they typically only posted in a handful of threads in CA. Pretty much all domestic political threads (and when I say "domestic" I include NI in this)

As I've already mentioned there was a lot of activity thanking each other's posts as well as posting to add emphasis/support to SF political causes

10-01-2022 7:32pm

"boards.ie official declares 32 county republic after banning a dozen sinn fein accounts" is a hell of a headline, all the same.

Shebean · 10-01-2022 8:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450413#Comment_118450413

Where did I claim there were none? I'd expect all parties have their share.

It was claimed there are no non-SF sock puppets. That's just not believable. That's what I'm saying.

We believe those closed were SF sock puppets because they spoke in the SF thread? Did any come out as shinner? We can presume they likely were, but to state no other party affiliated sock puppet exists outside of SF can't be taken seriously. FG are the only party with a leader who pushed for the creation of sock puppet accounts. So it's a strong possibility IMO.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450794#Comment_118450794

I think you're getting a little paranoid. Francie is one of the most genuine contributors to Boards. And he does get piled on by rabid non-non-SF hacks IMV.

Well if this is a get the shinners sock puppet thread cula bula. Trying to say it's only shinners is a joke and delusional, if anyone really believes it.

ohnonotgmail · 10-01-2022 8:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118451702#Comment_118451702

Where did I claim there were none?

right here.

Where's your evidence of SF sock puppetting(?)? Isn't it based on assumptions? I've seen many people criticise FF/FG and be labelled a shinner or a homophobe or racist without any proof.

your posts are just pure whataboutery.

10-01-2022 9:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118451702#Comment_118451702

Picking the thread where ten sf ones were uncovered is a hell of a strategy for you to trumpet your "justice for all possible sockpuppets" campaign

We've now five or six posters come in and try to make this about ALL parties or to question whether the SF sockpuppet accounts were in fact unaligned when they were clearly SF aligned

This is exactly the kind of nonsense obfuscation along a single identifiable line that makes it look like there are many SF-run accounts, by the way

mikethecop · 10-01-2022 9:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118446596#Comment_118446596

aw would you stop harry , ye arnet even good at this game anymore

your own posting history is very clear.

i guess since this is a new account other wise your lucky your not on the list too .......

blanch152 · 10-01-2022 9:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450876#Comment_118450876

A very interesting read.

You picked out the two key points.

Fionn1952 · 10-01-2022 9:40pm

But is there ANY evidence that the sock puppet accounts were Shinners?!?

Sorry I couldn't resist.

mikethecop · 10-01-2022 9:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450522#Comment_118450522

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

you have to wonder at that mentality of these people though

tikkahunter · 10-01-2022 9:57pm

It was fairly obvious what was going on with them accounts , i touched on it many a time , in fact I got a warning from a mod for making an accusation of sock puppeting- lightening quick responses with twitter or social media links when replying to posts. Almost a professional operation .

blanch152 · 10-01-2022 10:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118452068#Comment_118452068

That was a funny one.

Ordinary lad living all his life in Dublin while working as an intercept pilot for US Homeland Security.

😂😂😂

CrookedJack · 10-01-2022 11:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118451987#Comment_118451987

Get out, you sock-puppet you!

astrofool · 10-01-2022 11:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118452294#Comment_118452294

Park it up at Baldonnel for the evening and zip across to catch the bad guys, drop 'em off at Shannon for "questioning", simps.

This thread is fascinating, what other angle can now be taken to deflect or drag everyone to the same level.

Annasopra · 10-01-2022 11:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118452294#Comment_118452294

Sure its like the guy who claims he is a Conservative gay man but he also has a girlfriend and is androgynous and crossdresses 😂

CrookedJack · 10-01-2022 11:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450876#Comment_118450876

While your first point is clear in the conclusion, with the caveat that the abuse of female politicians is mostly at the local and Seanad level not at TD level, I fail to see your second point. Maybe i missed it but I can't see where it points SF supporters as being more toxic, just that more abuse is directed at Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

Of the most prolific abusive accounts, three communities were determined. These three communities could be characterized by their political affiliations and were most affiliated with Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and Independents respectively. Each community had a handful of key accounts which bridged the majority of the other accounts, however the ‘Sinn Féin’ community had a large proportion of smaller accounts following the key accounts. While there was a distinct character of each community based on their party affiliation, who they directed their abuse towards was similar, with each community directing the majority of their abuse towards Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil politician

Maybe i missed it deeper in the data, i'd be interested if you could point it out to me.

The interesting this about the quoted paragraph from the above is that it indicates that Fine Gael supporters and Independents are abusive to the current government, along side Sinn Fein.