Much of the surge in trolling (along with the activation of accounts not seen in a while like Haterjuiced) just happens to coincide with it now only being 6 months to election season. A perfect length of time for contract work to occur.
Those who've been around the internet block know how increases in shilling and trolling always happens the closer it gets to American elections but I thought I'd just point it out to those who either forgot or didn't notice.
One of the known tactics of modern shilling is to make places less interesting and more unappealing by trolling so that regular users will try to avoid using the place. Look into COINTELPRO tactics if you don't believe me.
They've been a known force on imageboards for a while, at least since the GG days, plus it's obvious to see their effects on reddit during past elections.
(And honestly that makes inaction by the moderation on these faggots all the more damning, but I digress)
TL;DR its likely not organic trolling.
I doubt it. We're not that big, don't have that much influence, aren't easy to sway, and I'd guess don't use normie social media much.
Unless it's Twitter warriors who are somehow online more often because of election cycle addiction, it seems unlikely. Proper shills would better spend their time astroturfing on Facebook, Reddit, or TikTok to create a sense of false consensus to people who aren't well-inoculated against those tactics.
The most you could do to us with ephebophilia spam is make this board unpleasant to use. And in that case, we go elsewhere, stop being contained, and spread our problematic ideals everywhere else.
I see your point elsewhere and if this was TheDonald or something it might disrupt organization of some kind. But we don't really do anything here that's worth them disrupting. If it isn't organic trolling, it's not a very good use of their funds.