The Soapbox

Joined: 10/07/1999 Posts: 255
Likes: 152

What's this?

If they were able to sway the election on Facebook, that says more about

us than it does about them.

I remember years ago (in the 90's maybe?) there was a case where a high school kid started going to chat boards where the stock of individual companies was discussed. He signed up for maybe ten different accounts, then just started posting completely made-up, but positive sounding opinions. No actual false information, just basically acting like a cheerleader for that stock.

He was able to significantly beat the market with his investments just by posting nonsense on message boards. He even found that posting things in all caps was more effective. Over time, he had several friends investing with him, and it eventually grew to quite a few of his teachers as well. He was pretty much running a mutual fund that was curb-stomping the S&P500.

If investors (who should be some of the most highly informed people at their craft out there) can be swayed by gibberish on the internet, I would think voters would be easy pickings.

(In response to this post by MassHoleHoo)

Posted: 02/19/2018 at 8:58PM

PREV NEXT REPLY

Insert a Link

Enter the title of the link here:

Enter the full web address of the link here -- include the "http://" part:

Current Thread:

Seriously, does anyone think voters were swayed by Russian Facebook posts? -- MassHoleHoo 02/17/2018 9:45PM

If they were able to sway the election on Facebook, that says more about -- Tafkam Hokie 02/19/2018 8:58PM

Well, the Russians did attempt to access voting systems. -- Guy LeDouche 02/18/2018 12:30PM

I dunno - learned a lot about H1B visas on FB. How do you feel about them? ** -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 11:37AM

LOL, the candidates raised over $2,000,000,000 with over $80,000,000 spent -- ryno hoo 02/18/2018 11:34AM

Some of the responses from lefties are downright scary -- TomKazanski 02/18/2018 10:42AM

When you hear stuff over and over again, it has an effect -- WahooMatt05 02/18/2018 10:17AM

Care to link to the Russian posts that did all this influencing? -- TomKazanski 02/18/2018 10:45AM

This will be my last serious response to you -- WahooMatt05 02/18/2018 11:43AM

I didn’t think you could point to one -- TomKazanski 02/18/2018 11:54AM

Of course they had an effect. A foreign country attacked our nation and is -- JSHoo 02/18/2018 09:58AM

Attacked? Really, you call setting up Facebook accounts attacking -- TomKazanski 02/18/2018 10:39AM

The way the polls bounced around, I would bet it did. And would bet even -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 08:53AM

Sure. Social media campaigns can be very effective. -- CobhamHoo 02/18/2018 08:39AM

Yep, see my response to Faz below. -- hooyorkcity 02/18/2018 08:45AM

Interesting take on it, and I agree. Would add that the way modern SM -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 09:00AM

Absolutely, I do -- NJHoo 02/18/2018 08:36AM

Over 60% of the Russian posts were after the election. ** -- ConnHoo 02/18/2018 07:45AM

Ssshhhh. They are running with a narrative. ** -- hoothat 02/18/2018 11:54AM

For every one who was there were probably 5 illegals voting for HRC ** -- Wahoo Ron 02/18/2018 12:25AM

So you are saying 65 illegals voted for Hillary. Your leader disagrees ** -- 111Balz 02/18/2018 07:53AM

Who cares what that creepy old geezer thinks. ** -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 08:34AM

Be nice, Nancyboy... ** -- Wahoo Ron 02/18/2018 09:37AM

You should take your 81 Buick for a long trip out to pasture and stay there ** -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 10:26AM

Nancyboy was a devastating insult, you ol’ shirtlifter you! ** -- hooyorkcity 02/18/2018 10:48AM

It probably scored tired old idiots like Ron a point or two in 1958 though. ** -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 11:03AM

If they did then they are fucking geniuses -- Faz d. Hoo 02/17/2018 10:13PM

I think lots of folks would disagree that advertising doesn't work. ** -- Chuck Taylor 02/18/2018 09:00AM

Then how do you explain our utter ineffectiveness at influencing global -- Faz d. Hoo 02/18/2018 09:17AM

My relatively short answer is that......................................... -- Chuck Taylor 02/18/2018 09:43AM

I’m gonna pull an LSAT type repsponse on you. -- hooyorkcity 02/18/2018 09:26AM

How much worse can you get than "openly hostile"? -- Faz d. Hoo 02/18/2018 09:32AM

I don't think most of the world is openly hostile to the US and that's his -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 10:40AM

To the US? No. To the US Government? Yes. Big difference. ** -- Faz d. Hoo 02/18/2018 11:00AM

Still don't think that's true. Most are appalled that we elected a vile -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 11:36AM

That lasted about half an hour -- Faz d. Hoo 02/18/2018 12:17PM

Poll data I posted was from 2016. What you're saying is just not true. ** -- WahooRQ 02/18/2018 1:16PM

Lmao. BTW Hearts and Minds” reminds me of our attempts in Vietnam -- hooyorkcity 02/18/2018 09:56AM

This could be instructive for you. Measurement in terms of engagement -- hooyorkcity 02/18/2018 08:38AM

This article says nothing about the influence of these ads -- Faz d. Hoo 02/18/2018 08:57AM

Well it actually does. Way things are measured now is by “likes and shares” -- hooyorkcity 02/18/2018 09:04AM

An effective ad is one that alters behavior -- Faz d. Hoo 02/18/2018 09:08AM

There has never been a reliable metric for that as I’ve noted in the post. -- hooyorkcity 02/18/2018 09:21AM

I thought it was the FBI coming in late and ruining the election? -- Hokieesith 02/17/2018 10:12PM

I love the smell of Trumpist fear in the morning ... WooHoo ** -- WaxHoo 02/17/2018 11:07PM

Hokieshit is becoming unhinged. lol ** -- hooshouse 02/17/2018 11:27PM

Hokieesith got you so unhinged that you wished death on him. -- Hokieesith 02/17/2018 11:38PM

I told you. It’s a piece of crap sliding down your leg. ** -- Hokieesith 02/17/2018 11:22PM

This is sooo lame, even for a hokie. Your fear is palpable, & I love it ** -- WaxHoo 02/18/2018 08:42AM

Have you ever been on facebook? And the indictments are for MORE than -- 111Balz 02/17/2018 9:52PM

Balz, you know better than to teach pigs to sing ... ) ** -- WaxHoo 02/17/2018 11:09PM