‘To amplify, avert, attack’: Why online trolls are valuable in election campaigns

MANILA—It is no longer possible to run an effective national election campaign without using online trolls, according to a campaign strategist. 

Alan German told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo on Saturday that so-called online trolls were important in election campaigns because not only did they attack rivals for a specific candidate, but also promoted that candidate to other people. 

"Tatlo po ang role ng troll sa isang kampanya," German said. "Una sila ang taga-upload, taga-amplify ng ’yung mga magagandang ginawa. Pangalawa, sila ’yung taga-avert. Kapag binabanatan ka, sila po ang maglilihis ng usapan para maiba ang topic. At ’yung huli, sila ang taga-attack o taga-upak sa iyong mga kalaban upang mailabas ang hindi kagandahan tungkol sa iyong mga katunggali." 

But German added that the unfortunate casualty in the use of online trolls was the truth. 

"Ang problema po, social media, tinatawag natin democratization of the internet, ay kadalasan nagiging weaponization of the internet," he said. 

"Nagiging sanhi ng napakadaming fake news at disinformation. Malungkot nga po na itong fake news at disinformation na ito, hindi na malaman ng tao o kadalasan tinatamad sila magsuri at alamin kung ano ba ang totoo." 

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