Disinformation: In the Philippines, political trolling is an industry - this is how it works

http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article43262
Date Written:  2018-02-20
Publisher:  Europe Solidaire Sans Frontieres
Year Published:  2018
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX21985

In the Philippines, influential personalities and online 'trolls' are credited with winning Rodrigo Duterte the presidency in 2016. This article examines the chief architects of disinformation who continue to vociferously share 'fake news' and silence dissenters.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

Georgina is a transgender digital marketer for a boutique public relations agency in the heart of Manila's business district. A resourceful SEO specialist, 28 year-old Georgina spends her office hours driving traffic to her clients' pages, even skilfully hiding fake ad links to lure clicks.

But Georgina's 9-to-5 job shows only a fraction of her real value in the digital arena. Georgina is an online influencer - except, unlike the photogenic jetsetters who flood Instagram and YouTube with glossy fantasies of an aspirational lifestyle, she is carefully, completely anonymous.