I expanded my vocabulary recently ...
Paid to Troll: being paid to post on forums and blogs, usually with political motive and not as yourself.
Here's a liberal group that pays people to "troll" websites and espouse liberal views and attack people with right wing views.
http://www.grassrootscampaigns.com/index.phpHere's another that advertises "professional blog warriors" who will turn your campaign into a grassroots movement.
http://www.advantageconsultants.org/This organization provides pay & health care to "free lance internet writers", promises to match you to a subject you have a passion for, and enable you to proliferate your message.
http://www.allvoices.com/register/freelance/acA quick search of craigslist for New York City turns up literally dozens of companies hiring bloggers to post on websites...
Another one,
Astroturfing: This is an artificial grassroots campaign usually planned by a political action group, but delivered to appear spontaneous, often employing paid trolls. Usually driven by consultants who specialize in
opposition research. They're the ones who learn all the buttons to push on opponent forums to drag folks into meaningless and polarizing dialogue to ensure that issues are buried under diatribe. Its a form of
online sabotage.
The whole thing is based on the simple premise that if you repeat an idea (true or not) often enough, people believe it.
Winning The Future,
Chaps