Manufacturing Outrage: A Primer on Rage Farming

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Dear reader,

Two years ago, Anheuser-Busch InBev learnt an expensive lesson about the modern internet. A single marketing decision sparked such coordinated outrage that the company lost 30% of its operating profit¹ .

The incident was no accident; it was an example of what we now call rage farming in action, and over the past few weeks, I've been studying this more closely.

I became interested in the topic when it was discussed in a WhatsApp group called The Advisory Group, which I'm part of. The group was started by David Gallagher from Folgate Advisors, a company I'm also connected with.

In this week’s Wag The Dog newsletter edition, I give you an introduction to this phenomenon.

Let me know what you think; just hit reply.

Table of Contents

• Patterns of Rage Farming

• Malinformation, disinformation, and rage farming.

• So what should a communications professional do?

• References and further reading.

• Podcast version(s) available.

• Sponsor

• What I am reading/testing/checking out:

• Let’s meet!

Patterns of Rage Farming

The pattern of "rage farming" is remarkably consistent: take a corporate message, remove it from context, twist it into something inflammatory, and watch the engagement numbers skyrocket. It's like someone throwing a match into a petrol-soaked pile of social media candles.

These incidents go beyond typical Twitter discussions or Facebook arguments. They're strategically orchestrated campaigns aimed at turning legitimate corporate activities into cultural controversies.

Malinformation, disinformation, and rage farming.

There are subtle but important distinctions in the landscape of digital fraud. While rage farming is often lumped in with other forms of online manipulation, it is actually at the intersection of two distinct practises.

Malinformation takes real facts and rips them out of context or twists them to cause harm, such as when rage farmers reinterpret a company's diversity initiative as an attack on traditional values.

Disinformation, on the other hand, involves deliberate and clear falsehoods like pro-Russian Facebook accounts falsely portraying Dubai’s skyline as Moscow to promote Russia’s geopolitical image in Africa.³

Rage farming can take both approaches or even mix them together. A rage farmer might start with a genuine announcement of a company policy and then make completely fabricated claims about its impact.

The more anger it provokes, the more successful it is, at least according to the criteria that are important for social media algorithms.

Take United Airlines, for example. The company came under fire from right-wing influencers who claimed that its inclusive pilot training programmes jeopardised safety. Although all pilots still meet the same legal standards, the damage to its reputation had already been done.

Or consider the Disney experience. When the company expressed concern about legislation that impacted education policy, it found itself embroiled in a protracted legal battle. What could have been a standard corporate statement became a months-long story of manufactured outrage.

Social media algorithms make no distinction between genuine engagement and manufactured outrage. They simply push the content that elicits reactions, regardless of whether those reactions stem from truth or misrepresentation.

Some content creators even deliberately include typos or errors in their posts to provoke reactions and increase engagement² .

Conventional crisis communication strategies are no longer enough. You can't just wait and see or hope for the news cycle to continue. Social media algorithms ensure that rage, once farmed, has a remarkably long shelf life.

So what should a communications professional do?

Firstly, you need early warning systems that go beyond simple social listening. Watch for unusual spikes in negative mentions and coordinated messaging patterns. If you spot multiple accounts making suspiciously similar statements within a short period of time, your alarm bells should be ringing.

Secondly, build a "truth bank" - a ready-to-use collection of facts, context, and evidence about your organisation's positions and practises. If false stories start to spread, you'll need this ammunition quickly.

The first 24 hours are crucial. But here's the challenge: you need to act quickly without appearing reactive. Make sure your response is factual and direct and avoid defensive language or emotional exchanges with opponents. Remember that your main addressees aren't the instigators, but the broader public who comes across their messages.

Tactics are constantly evolving. On TikTok, creators make deliberately provocative statements to generate outrage and increase views. There is even AI-generated content specifically designed to provoke outrage, such as the recent viral image of the "Aryan family", which was intended to spark heated debate.⁴

The digital landscape has provided us with extraordinary tools for connecting and communicating. However, like any tool, these platforms can be misused for less than honourable intentions.

Understanding the concept of rage farming is important to protect your organisation's reputation and to maintain the integrity of public discourse in an age where algorithms often prioritise outrage over accuracy.

Next week, I'll be publishing a detailed guide on building your rage farming defence system. We'll cover everything from risk assessment to strategies for communicating with stakeholders.

Would you like to get the guide? Since not everyone reading Wag The Dog will want it, please click yes or no below to let me know if you're interested.

But first, start by examining the potential trouble spots in your organisation. What policies, statements, or initiatives might rage farmers try to weaponise?

Until then, the best defence against manufactured outrage is the edited truth.

References and further reading.

1  Jagolinzer, A., van, & Jagolinzer, A. (2024, February 6). How Companies Should Combat Rage Farming Attempts - ProMarket. ProMarket. https://www.promarket.org/2024/02/06/how-companies-should-combat-rage-farming-at

2  Rage. (2023, July 21). VVITCH Digital. VVITCH Digital. https://www.vvitchdigital.com/blog/rage-farming-on-tiktok

3  Ehl, D., & Monir Ghaedi. (2025, February 3). Russian propaganda: How Moscow uses disinformation in Africa. Dw.com; Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/how-russias-propaganda-machine-sows-disinformation-in-africa/a-71453082

4  Bueno, C. O. (2023, August 8). The Anatomy of a Viral Tweet: Rage Farming Edition. Substack.com; Weaponized. https://weaponizedspaces.substack.com/p/the-anatomy-of-a-viral-tweet-rage

Podcast version(s) available.

🎧 Do you listen to podcasts? This newsletter is now available in audio format on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Deezer, Listennotes and many more.

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What I am reading/testing/checking out:

• App: Cap is the open-source alternative to Loom (screen recordings).

• Article: How an AI-written book shows why the tech 'terrifies' creatives

• Research: Experts at risk: The influence of expertise on conceptualising multi-hazard risk perception and preparedness in Squamish, Canada

• Message framing guide: Explaining the Value of Public Health

• AI How-To: running DeepSeek AI locally

Let’s meet!

Here are the events and conferences I'll be speaking at. If you're around, feel free to message me, and we can meet up for a coffee or a Negroni.

• 🇧🇪 AI in PR Boot Camp II, 20-21 February 2025, Brussels, Belgium

• 🇦🇪 World Crisis & Emergency Management Summit, April 8th and 9th 2025, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

PS: I hope you've enjoyed this newsletter! Creating it each weekend is a labour of love that I provide for free. If you've found my writing valuable, the best way to support it is by sharing it with others. Thank you for reading!

_{Parts of this newsletter were created using AI technology to draft content. In addition, all AI-generated images include a caption stating, 'This image was created using AI'. These changes were made in line with the transparency requirements of the EU AI law for AI-generated content. Some links in this newsletter may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase; however, I only promote tools and services that I have tested, use myself, or am convinced will make a positive difference.}