Troll farm


A troll farm or troll factory is an institutionalised group of internet trolls aimed to interfere in political opinions and decision-making.
One study showed that 30 governments worldwide paid keyboard armies to spread propaganda and attack critics. According to the report, these governments use paid commentators, trolls, and bots to harass journalists and erode trust in the media. Attempts have been made to influence elections in 18 of the countries covered by the study.

Albania

In February 2020, the New York Times interviewed 10 ex-People's Mujahedin of Iran members who said that the MEK's Albania camp had a troll farm that promoted the opinions of MEK supporters including Rudy Giuliani and John Bolton and attacked the Iranian government. The MEK claimed that the former members were Iranian government spies.

Finland

Finnish investigative journalist Jessika Aro interviewed workers at a “troll factory” in Saint Petersburg. Aro was harassed online after she published her story. A court in Helsinki convicted three persons who had harassed Aro on charges of defamation and negligence.
Aro has stated that online trolls can negatively affect freedom of speech and democracy.

Russia

The Russian web brigades, including Internet Research Agency, became known in the late 2010s for the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.

North Macedonia

At the town of Veles, locals launched at least 140 United States politics websites which supported the Donald Trump.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook found that Troll farms from North Macedonia and the Philippines pushed coronavirus disinformation. The publisher which used contents from these farms banned from the platform.

Philippines

The Philippines has been called "patient zero in the global disinformation epidemic." Studies into the country's troll farms found that political campaigns pay trolls $1,000 to $2,000 per month to create multiple fake social media accounts to post political propaganda and attack critics. The political campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte has spent $200,000 to hire online trolls, according to one study. Duterte admitted to hiring trolls for his 2016 political campaign.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook found that Troll farms from North Macedonia and the Philippines pushed coronavirus disinformation. The publisher which used contents from these farms banned from the platform.

Turkey

Turkey is also strongly suspected to have troll farms.