Beware of Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, Folks.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. Concern trolling is one technique. Pairwise scuffling is another. Propagating fake new too.

Look for DU members with high post rates after joining in 2016 from June leading up to the election and joining after Trump's Inauguration. Caution: most members with such characteristics are good solid Democrats / progressives / liberals. We can be suspicious, but it takes a lot to make a case to pass MIRT scrutiny.

Concern trolling is where a member / bot / tweeter / FBer will say something like "I worry that Pelosi is ineffective after four losses in a row. Republicans like having her around to kick around." (Again, caution, well-meaning members might sincerely make a statement like that.)

Pairwise scuffling is where two bots gin up an argument in an effort to draw in other members and drive wedges between them. It is divisive and destablizing and it uses up time and energy members / tweeters / FBers could use to get real news out and organize resistance.

Propagating fake news (in many guises some not so obvious) uses up members time and energy knocking it down and arguing about it.

There are undoubtedly many other techniques. It would be interesting to see a compendium of them. Here's an ancient one I bookmarked from 2002: http://www.hyphenologist.co.uk/killfile/anti_troll_faq.htm

Finding some:
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/troll-tactics.html
https://www.google.ca/search?q=recognizing+trolls