Seems that in a lot of cases, the CHICOMs recruit large numbers of non-political, internet-savvy prisoners to operate as wumao shills in exchange for credits which may lead to better prison conditions or even a shorter sentence.
Here’s a few snippets:
CAC – (Cyberspace Administration of China) Internal Documentation for Internet Commentators
Online commentators should be skillful in concealing their real identities. They must have multiple different usernames, with which they need to post articles in various styles of writing. If required, members of different working teams can pretend to be netizens who are debating in forums. Then, the third party can put forward strong evidence to guide the public opinion in its favor.
Basic working procedures: the routine work for each group only focuses on specific websites. Different groups are held accountable for relevant forums of different major websites. The daily work serves to defend the correct guidance of public opinion according to the overall guidelines. In the case of a sudden public opinion outbreak, the routine work should be suspended. Instead, commentators should follow the instructions of special working teams in superior departments. The staff and resources should be devoted to the guidance of public opinion on the emergency.
On some popular forums where the credibility of netizens is usually high, commentators should go make a mess. Commentators can intervene by posting ambiguous articles, distort viewpoints irrationally in their comments, incite misunderstandings, and debates to distract the netizens’ attention from some issues.
It is difficult to gain control of the public opinion on websites overseas. When commentators fail to dominate the public opinion on foreign forums, they can use short, irrational, and meaningless posts to spam the forum. When the screen is flooded with a pointless mess, netizens are likely to lose interest. In this way, commentators can prevent reactionary ideologies from public dissemination.
（曾铮注：以下是中国网评员工作守则。）
CAC(Cyberspace Administration of China) Internal Documentation for Internet Commentators(no spreading)
General Rule:
The war of Internet public opinion is of vital importance to the life and death of the regime of the People’s Republic of China. For the prosperity and strength of our motherland and the revitalization of the Chinese nation, all online commentators should always be prepared to defend the country’s Internet firewall with their intelligence and diligence.
总则：网络舆论战争关系到中华人民共和国国家政权的生死存亡。为了祖国母亲的繁荣富强，为了中华民族的复兴，每一个网络评论员必须时刻准备着用自己的智慧和艰苦劳动保卫共和国网络防线。
Methods:
1. During working hours, online commentators must check their work email at least once every hour so as to grasp the latest spirit in the instructions from their superiors.
1、在工作时间内必须每小时至少查看一次工作邮箱，时刻注意领会上级指示的最新精神。
2. Online commentators ought to cooperate as per request. When needed, work teams consist of commentators from different regions and professions will be formed to implement specific tasks. If necessary, superiors will transfer personnel from other groups to understaffed teams.
2、网络评论员根据上级指示进行合作，根据工作需要，将由跨地区、跨专业的网络评论员组成工作小组，执行特定的任务。在有必要增加人员时，上级将从其他小组抽调人员加以充实。
3. Basic working procedures: the routine work for each group only focuses on specific websites. Different groups are held accountable for relevant forums of different major websites. The daily work serves to defend the correct guidance of public opinion according to the overall guidelines. In the case of a sudden public opinion outbreak, the routine work should be suspended. Instead, commentators should follow the instructions of special working teams in superior departments. The staff and resources should be devoted to the guidance of public opinion on the emergency.
3、基本工作方法：日常工作按照网站分小组，每个重要网站的有关论坛由一个小组负责。日常工作是按照总体方针，维护正确的网络舆论导向。遇到突发事件，则按照上级部门的专门工作组的指令行事，暂时停止日常工作，把有关人员资源投入到突发事件的舆论导向工作。
4. Online commentators should be skillful in concealing their real identities. They must have multiple different usernames, with which they need to post articles in various styles of writing. If required, members of different working teams can pretend to be netizens who are debating in forums. Then, the third party can put forward strong evidence to guide the public opinion in its favor.
4、网络评论员要善于隐瞒自己的真实身份，必需有多个不同的网名，而且不同的网名要发表不同风格的文章。必要的时候，可以由不同小组成员制造网友辩论的假象，然后由第三方推出强有力的证据， 把公众舆论引导到第三方。
5. When rumors are spreading in the cyberspace, commentators should find the original post and the publisher as soon as possible. Commentators should compel the website administrators to delete the original post. Then, commentators should copy and post the content of the deleted post and use another IP address to declare themselves as local citizens in which the rumor took place. Then, commentators should use the account of forum moderators or other netizens to point out that the IP address does not belong to the area where the rumor was referring to, thus proving the message a canard.
5、某些网络谣言出来的时候，必须尽快搜索到谣言的首发地点和首发人，然后勒令网站管理员删除原贴，网络评论员则拷贝内容，以不同的IP地址发表自己就是事发所在地的当地人的申明，然后由版主或以其他网友身份指出：他的IP地址不在事发所在地，该消息纯属谣传。
6. If needed, commentators can post fake news that is more sensational to capture the attention of netizens.Then, commentators should soon clarify that those pieces of information are purely rumors.
6、必要时可以制造更加耸人听闻的假新闻，吸引网民视线，然后很快澄清该消息纯属谣言。
7. On some popular forums where the credibility of netizens is usually high, commentators should go make a mess. Commentators can intervene by posting ambiguous articles, distort viewpoints irrationally in their comments, incite misunderstandings, and debates to distract the netizens’ attention from some issues.
7、某些论坛人气不错，网友信用度比较高，这时首先要做的是制造一种混乱，通过似是而非的文章进行干涉，跟贴作非理性的故意曲解、制造误会和争辩，转移网民注意力。
8. It is difficult to gain control of the public opinion on websites overseas. When commentators fail to dominate the public opinion on foreign forums, they can use short, irrational, and meaningless posts to spam the forum. When the screen is flooded with a pointless mess, netizens are likely to lose interest. In this way, commentators can prevent reactionary ideologies from public dissemination.
8、海外网站较难控制，当不能主导论坛舆论的时候，可以采用大量短贴、无实质内容贴、非理性贴进行刷屏，令版面充斥无意义的混乱，使读者失去兴趣，这样达到避免反动思想流通传播的目的。
9. To meet the basic qualifications of an “internet commentator,” one has to continuously learn to improve their writing skills, and learn to grasp several writing styles while mastering the art of imitating others’ writing.
9、不断学习，提高文字水平，学会使用不同的文笔风格写作，善于模仿他人文笔，这是网络评论员的基本功。
10. Learn to communicate effectively with fellow netizens, earn their trust and blend in with them, especially so for those whose articles are influential online. Get a position as the host to crucial online forums, when possible.
10、学会与网友交流的技巧，与网友私下打成一片，获取网友的信任，尤其是那些文章有影响力的网友。如果有可能，争取一些重要论坛的版主位置。
11. Be highly vigilant when hunting for posts to work with. Using your judgment to quickly find the posts, among million others, with high potentials of influence, and focus heavy emphasis on them.
11、培养高超的判断力，能够在诸多贴子中迅速找到真正有影响力的帖子和写手，作为重点工作对象。
12. Pay attention to cultivate the awareness of policies and regulations, and do not misunderstand the current work spirit. Pay attention to understand the superior instructions of the recent posting’s type examples. Be thoroughly acquainted with it and draw inferences.
12、注意培养政策法规意识，不可误解当前的工作精神。注意吃透上级指示的近期发贴类型实例，融会贯通，举一反三。
13. Flexibility and principle combined. Be sure to create an image that is indistinguishable from the real thing, and be someone who is not easily identified. Be familiar with not only our point of view, but also others’ ideas. knowing one’s own and the enemy’s situation
13、灵活性与原则性相结合。一定要制造真假难辨的形象，成为一个不容易被鉴别身份的人。不仅要熟悉我们的观点，更要熟悉对方的思路，知己知彼。
14. Online commentators should always remember their glorious task, not be blocked by difficulties and misunderstandings. Do not care about the reputation on the surface, do not really be angered by the other side under any circumstances. Always keep rational, calm psychology.
14、网络评论员要时刻牢记自己的光荣任务，不被困难和误解阻挡，不在乎表面上的面子，做到任何情况下不会真正被对方激怒，永远保持理性、冷静的心理。
15. Online commentators should stand firm, keep a clear mind in the face of all kinds of confusing thoughts, and cherish their political future.
15、网络评论员要立场坚定，头脑清醒，在各种富有迷惑力的思潮面前保持清醒的头脑，珍惜自己的政治前途。
16. Online commentators shall implement the principle of combining group supervision with picket supervision. Their performances shall be assessed by the higher authorities concerned.
16、网络评论员实行小组监督和纠察监督相结合的原则。其工作成绩由上级有关部门评定。
Source 以上中文资料来自: https://pincong.rocks/article/756
Photo: The banner over the stage says, “2010 Training Class for Correspondents and Internet Commentators of No. 3 Women’s Prison”. This is a photo from the No. 3 Women’s Prison in Yunan Province in China. Prisoners are recruited to act as “internet commentators”, and can earn merits for their sentences to be reduced. 上图来自云南省第三女子监狱。犯人被招聘为「网络评论员」，且能由此「立功减刑」。
