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CalCoastNews was not hacked, likes were manipulated

August 18, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

CalCoastNews has not been hacked, though bad actors have manipulated the thumbs-up and thumbs-down functions in attempts to show support for some comments and to disparage other viewpoints.

In response to articles that mention former Paso Robles City Manager Ty Lewis, cannabis sellers Grace and Ernest Hall, or online troll Aaron Ochs, on three occasions it appears someone has either paid for or utilized bots from various website addresses to avoid the one vote only requirement. In less than than a minute on Sunday, comments with 40 thumbs-up changed to 30 thumbs-down.

Specifically, comments critical of the Halls or Ochs under the article, “Cannabis sellers attempt to silence critic, judge says unconstitutional,” were targeted.

More than a decade ago, CalCoastNews exclusively reported about a corruption scheme involving former Supervisor Adam Hill. Shortly afterwards, there were several attempts to hack CalCoastNews which were not successful.

CalCoastNews then enacted mutiple safeguards to protect the site from hackers.

And while CalCoastNews can install safeguards to protect the website, there are overseas companies that people can pay to manipulate likes and dislikes from outside internet addresses.

 


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I will add that I liked the system better when it posted how may UPS and how many DOWNS. This averaging really does not give a fair response.


9

The paranoia runs deep. God forbid readers have differing opinions than the reporters, must be a conspiracy!


4

Aaron Ochs is a snowflake fluck tard.


Placing this here for test purposes. Let the down votes (and tracking) begin…


8

Funny how CCNews thinks it is bots when any middle schooler knows how to use VPNs and Proxies to get around school internet restrictions. It is very simple to google “free proxies” and open 100 proxy tabs and then click thumbs up/down in a minute themselves without paying for bots to do it.


18

Wow. Thanks for that information, Mystic.


5

So it was you then MysticOne? Guessing ur either one of the people that are the subject of this article or someone working for them…I don’t really care as it doesn’t affect me either way but it’s pretty obvious that you follow CCN closely and you care enough to point out that u were able to manipulate the thumbs up numbers so easily and without paying for bots to do it


0

They will vehemently deny it, but it’s apparent which one or more parties are behind the bot trolls. Simply look at the subjects of the article…Aaron Ochs, Ty Lewis, Grace & Ernest Hall.


64

Fortunately David Platek is in the custody of the feds somewhere and has been put out of the trolling business.


Why does Ochs repeatedly attempt to distance himself from David Platek and omit the years past he and Platek were harassing the likes of Karen and Kevin Rice – a sad situation that appears it could have been a tag teaming campaign devised to run interference for Adam Hill and his masters “business” network.


Ochs appears to be cheap or free labor for that “business” network?????


7