Oxford University a 'school for stupid people', says Philippines president
Rodrigo Duterte has admitted to paying people to defend him on social media
PHOTO: REUTERS
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at Oxford University and labelled it a 'school for stupid people' after the university published a study claiming he had paid for a cyber army to increase his popularity on social media.
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The study, Troops, Trolls and Troublemakers: A Global Inventory of Organised Social Media Manipulation, looked at the strategies used by political parties and candidates in 28 different countries to spread their party messaging and inflate social media engagement numbers, The Telegraph reported.
It further stated that Rodrigo paid $200,000 in 2016, the year he was elected, for a social media campaign that used citizens and groups to promote and defend him online.
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The Philippines president has admitted to paying people to defend him on social media but backed it up saying that it only happened during the campaign period. "Now I do not need it. I do not need to defend myself against attacks. I stated my piece during my inauguration and my campaign. Oxford University? That’s a school for stupid people," a local news outlet, Rappler reported him as saying.
The report extensively shared how cyber armies have been used to silence political dissent online and on how trolling can lead to real-life threats and reputation damage.
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The study, Troops, Trolls and Troublemakers: A Global Inventory of Organised Social Media Manipulation, looked at the strategies used by political parties and candidates in 28 different countries to spread their party messaging and inflate social media engagement numbers, The Telegraph reported.
It further stated that Rodrigo paid $200,000 in 2016, the year he was elected, for a social media campaign that used citizens and groups to promote and defend him online.
Philippines' Duterte under fire over 'sickening' rape joke
The Philippines president has admitted to paying people to defend him on social media but backed it up saying that it only happened during the campaign period. "Now I do not need it. I do not need to defend myself against attacks. I stated my piece during my inauguration and my campaign. Oxford University? That’s a school for stupid people," a local news outlet, Rappler reported him as saying.
The report extensively shared how cyber armies have been used to silence political dissent online and on how trolling can lead to real-life threats and reputation damage.