How do marketing agencies and cybertroopers amplify divisive content?

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Marketing Agencies and Cybertroopers Amplify Divisive Content Through Strategic Manipulation

Marketing agencies, paid cybertroopers, and influencers systematically leverage emotions like anger and fear, alongside societal polarization, to achieve virality and electoral success. These entities employ multi-million-ringgit political budgets and sophisticated tech algorithms to amplify false narratives that foster animosity between different groups. The investigative video "Bad Influence" by The Fourth exposed these mechanisms, demonstrating how these actors deliberately weaponize divisive content to achieve specific political outcomes.
Exploitation of Emotional Triggers and Polarization

The core strategy involves identifying and amplifying content that exploits existing societal divisions, particularly around race, religion, and royalty. By posing as political aides, investigators from The Fourth were able to expose how marketing agencies and their associated cybertroopers and influencers deliberately craft and disseminate messages designed to incite anger and fear. This approach capitalizes on existing prejudices and grievances, making the content more likely to spread rapidly and gain traction online, ultimately contributing to political polarization.
Role of Political Budgets and Tech Algorithms

Significant financial resources, often in the form of multi-million-ringgit political budgets, are dedicated to this amplification process. These funds enable the systematic deployment of paid cybertroopers and the strategic use of influencers to ensure divisive narratives reach a wide audience. Furthermore, tech algorithms play a crucial role by being manipulated to boost the visibility of false stories that provoke hatred. This algorithmic favoritism ensures that content designed to create division gains prominence, reaching individuals who are either disgruntled, disappointed, or already susceptible to identity politics.
Amplification of Race, Religion, and Royalty Content

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has observed a dramatic increase in online content targeting race, religion, and royalty. Between January 2022 and May 2026, MCMC issued 13,795 takedown requests for such content, with 8,628 items ultimately removed. Notably, takedown requests surged from 197 in 2022 to 7,648 by 2024, indicating a significant escalation in online racial provocation. This surge suggests a deliberate and coordinated effort to weaponize these sensitive issues, particularly during periods of heightened political activity.
Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour and Political Targeting

MCMC has indicated signs of Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour (CIB) surrounding sensitive issues, especially in 2026, when online activity and public sentiment around race, religion, and the Royal Institution intensified. This network of right-wing politicians and cybertroopers specifically targets individuals who are disgruntled and disappointed, reinforcing their negative perceptions by linking government mistakes to the perceived failure to defend specific identities. This strategy aims to erode trust and loyalty by making people feel that the current system is not worth defending, further entrenching divisive political messaging.

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How do marketing agencies and cybertroopers amplify divisive content?

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