As has been demonstrated by the mad cow rumor-monging that occurred through Korean web forums, the internet can be an effective agent for dis-information, organization and can even be censored — as seen in South Korea and China — so as to shape public opinion.
Jim Yardley of the NY Times has written a timely article that describes this practice as performed in China:
Li Datong, a former editor of a top state-run magazine who lost his job after clashing with propaganda authorities, said officials in charge of mass media and the Internet try to leave little to chance. He said the country’s army of censors dipped anonymously into the Internet debate by paying part-time writers 5 mao, or about 7 cents, to steer public opinion and monitor the tone of debate online.“Their job is to post articles on the B.B.S. to balance (affect) public opinion,” Mr. Li said, referring to the Bulletin Board System where many Internet users interact. “The netizens call them the 5 mao party. If they get a post on a B.B.S., they get 5 mao.”
I wonder if anyone ever gets paid in Korea?
4 Comments
Well, it’s clear that the anti-LMB/American/FTA groups have a small army of propagandists who are on the net and even some working in the print and televised media to spread the disinformation.
Question 1- are they being paid with money or just praises?
Question 2- if it’s money, then where is the money coming from?
Is it coming from the the government subsidies to fake NGO groups such as Green Korea? Time to cut that off!
Should we be looking North for the source? Are there funds coming in from the North, through proxies, that are aiding the anti-campaigns? These are most likely part of the aid money that is supplied by the South and other coutnries.
The irony- South Korea supplying aid money to the North which is then used to fund groups who attempt to bring down the government of the South!
These groups should most definitely be investigated thoroughly, but something tells me the authorities are afraid of what the may find out.
“Question 1- are they being paid with money or just praises?
Question 2- if it’s money, then where is the money coming from?”
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/ww.....28824.html
Well… an Economist article said that China would learn from South Korea’s development model… However, I didn’t think it would learn about how to use the Internet to manipulate its population from the Koreans.
Oh well.
Given the centrality of bribery in Korean social order, and the well-demonstrated selfishness and avarice of all those with political power in South Korea, my prediction is the relevant records in Pyongyang will be lost in a mysterious fire on Unification Day.