Trolls, fake online accounts, and scammers. These are the so-called dark force of the internet nowadays, the reason why our online world has been ravaged by online crimes and hates.

By the way, what is a troll?

An online troll is used to refer to a kind of internet-user who only commented and posted to get a rise out of their friends and followers, to trigger them in some way in a particular issue and problems.

Whenever we heard the word ‘troll’ today, a different meaning has emerged--it’s more of an insidious meaning.

Many automatically connote ‘troll’ with people being paid to spread fake news or fight with social media users. And believe it or not, it pays well.

In an episode aired by Brigada, a documentary program of GMA NewsTV, during election season last year, they tackled about trolls and how they did operate.

The program was then able to conduct an interview with the head of a ‘troll’ company.

Trolls are “paid to make multiple fake accounts to promote a client and react to netizens whether to start an argument or to fight them according to the interview.

There are also two types of trolls: white and black. Black trolls are the ones that resort to negative campaigning or spreading hate, while white trolls are more ‘diplomatic’.

In a 'troll' farm/company, the client usually sets the topic or message to be disseminated to the troll workers, and there they go!

The pay starts at P30,000 from entry-level trolls and goes up to P70,000 depending on seniority and tasks assigned to them. Popular social media influencers can get anything from P30,000 per post upwards. 

In these trying times, trolls are moving quickly with different intentions and regardless if they want to destroy someone or something, know your social media limitations, and always, always THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK!