SHAH ALAM – The online public square is no longer just driven by opinions, but by coordinated campaigns designed to shape what people believe is the dominant view.
Experts said cybertroopers have evolved from anonymous trolls into organised digital operators capable of manufacturing outrage, visibility and political narratives at scale.
International Islamic University Malaysia communication lecturer Dr Shafizan Mohamed warned that coordinated cyber networks were increasingly capable of creating the illusion that certain opinions or public anger were more widespread than they actually were.
“The concern is when coordinated networks create the illusion that a certain opinion is dominant, or that everyone is angry about something, when in reality it may only be a small but highly organised group amplifying that narrative online,” she said when contacted.
Shafizan said the digital landscape had become far more sophisticated compared to the past, with cybertrooper activity now operating in a more strategic and organised manner.
“Before, we might have random trolls or anonymous accounts, but now it is more professional. Individuals and sometimes coordinated groups, are being paid to push certain narratives, attack others, or shape public perception.
“What makes it more sophisticated today is that these groups are strategic. They understand how algorithms work and know how to make content go viral,” she said.
She added that emotionally charged content spreads more easily because social media platforms are designed around attention and engagement.
“Outrage, anger and fear tend to create stronger emotional responses. Cybertrooper networks often rely on emotional tactics because anger spreads faster than facts,” she said.
Meanwhile, UiTM Shah Alam Faculty of Communication and Media Studies political and social media analyst Associate Professor Dr Sara Chinnasamy said the growing influence of cybertroopers was not only shaping online narratives, but also slowly eroding public trust in digital spaces.
She said cybertroopers were increasingly being used to manufacture the appearance of widespread support or opposition while drowning out legitimate criticism.
“They fuel ideological divides and stir tension on sensitive issues such as race or religion. They also spread propaganda, fake news and manipulated content to influence public perception and damage opponents’ reputations,” she told Sinar Daily.
Sara warned that such coordinated activity ultimately weakens confidence in social media platforms and makes it harder for users to distinguish genuine public sentiment from engineered narratives.
“This ultimately erodes trust in the online environment and reduces the credibility of social media platforms. The biggest challenge is scale,” she said.
She explained that false information often spreads faster than verified facts, while the rapid growth of AI-generated content and coordinated online behaviour continues to outpace moderation efforts.
“Coordinated behaviour is difficult to detect. It is easier to identify one account, but harder when many accounts work together to push the same narrative,” she said.
Sara added that moderation systems also struggle to interpret context, satire and coded messaging, creating major enforcement gaps in detecting coordinated manipulation online.