freep, freeping

[Sam Clements]

"Freep" goes back to at least the 1970's to mean "Free Press."  Small,
alternative newspapers, to me.

These days it means people who subscribe to the views of the Free Republic.
At least, that's my take on it.

Sam Clements

----- Original Message -----
From: "Clai Rice" <cxr1086 at LOUISIANA.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2004 5:18 PM
Subject: freep, freeping


> Just ran across this word and don't see it in the ADS
> archives: to freep, freeped, freeping. Also freepers.
>
> Looks like it means "to influence online polls by voting
> many times" or an organized attempt to do such. An article
> from the June 4, 2004 Grand Forks Herald, "Online activists
> defend freeping's ethics", says that the practice is named
> after the FreeRepublic.com whose members have been
> practicing this for some time.
> http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/8834070.htm
>
> I hope it is either bad polling (or freeping if this is
> based off their internet poll) but it has me a bit concerned.
> http://www.mydd.com/story/2004/10/16/91159/845
>
> --Clai Rice
>