internet brigade

English

Abbreviations

• (PAP) IB

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɪntənɛt bɹɪˈɡeɪd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɪn(t)əɹˌnɛt bɹɪˈɡeɪd/

Proper noun

the (PAP) Internet Brigade

1. (Singapore, derogatory) A group or groups of activists or members of the People's Action Party (PAP), the current ruling political party in Singapore, who post comments in social media, Internet websites, blogs or forums etc without giving away their true identities to defend the establishmentarian agenda and/or attack Opposition parties and sympathisers. Can also refer to individual members or activists of such groups. Also "PAP Internet Brigade".
   • 2008 October 21, jeff goh, soc.culture.singapore‎^[1] (Usenet):

     Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if you're just another one of the PAP internet brigade.

   • 2009 January 11, “Has the PAP Internet Brigade lost its teeth?”, in Sgpolitics‎^[2], archived from the original on 29 May 2016:

     This so-called “PAP Internet Brigade” was also accused of creating multiple monikers in various internet forums such as the once-popular Sammyboy Alfresco Coffeeshop forum and disrupting threads critical of the PAP by engaging in flame wars, personal attacks, defamatory statements, and impersonations.

   • 2013 January 5, TheInquirer, soc.culture.singapore‎^[3] (Usenet):

     Some of these comments could be done deliberately by people in the "Internet brigade" with the sole intention of creating trouble for Alex Au.

   • 2014 June 8, Harry, soc.culture.singapore‎^[4] (Usenet):

     The papist Leegime has an internet brigade that wrack havoc on the internet. They disrupt discussion, sending virus to critics, downing websites critical of the government and very often posting rubbish and plain lies.

   • 2016 July 7, Ng E-Jay, “Internet brigade continue to game Facebook's algorithm to get activists banned and censored”, in The Independent (Singapore)‎^[5]:

     It is known that there are a bunch of people whom we know as the PAP Internet Brigade (IB) who act as insurgents to spread the PAP’s propaganda and attack the opposition and activists online (this was reported in The Straits Times in 2007).

   • 2017 March 1, “Government hires internet brigade to defend Lee Hsien Loong on BBC Facebook”, in States Times Review‎^[6], Singapore: States Times Review, archived from the original on 2 November 2017:

     Like China, the Singapore government activated a team of internet brigade to defend Lee Hsien Loong’s embarrassing interview featured on BBC Facebook page.

   • 2021 August 7, “IN FOCUS: ‘Boomer, snowflake, oppie, pappie’ - unpacking the growing social media polarisation in Singapore”, in Channel NewsAsia‎^[7], Singapore: Chanmel NewsAsia, retrieved 21 December 2023:

     Saying ‘PAP IB’ is the most common and fastest insult. The moment you disagree, you become a PAP IB.

Usage notes

Not commonly used in everyday discourse, though not uncommon in anti-establishment circles; typically found in social media, blogs or anti-establishment news sites.

Synonyms

Web Brigades