Fact check: What is the business model of Crowds on Demand and how do they recruit protesters?

1. Summary of the results

Crowds on Demand operates as a professional crowd-sourcing company that provides paid protesters and actors for hire across multiple services. According to CEO Adam Swart, the company offers protests, rallies, advocacy, audiences, corporate events, and fan displays, as well as virtual capabilities including letter-writing, social proof, and phone-banking campaigns ^[1].

The company's business model centers on providing hired actors who can pose as various roles including fans, paparazzi, security guards, unpaid protesters, and professional paid protesters, operating primarily in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City ^[2]. Payment rates for protesters typically range from $100 to $500, depending on location, duration, and event challenges, with some circumstances commanding higher fees ^[3].

Regarding recruitment methods, CEO Adam Swart stated that the company specifically looks for individuals who genuinely share the beliefs of the causes they are protesting for, rather than people solely motivated by money ^[3]. The company claims to work with both left and right-wing political groups, with demand fluctuating based on which political party holds power ^[3].

The company has experienced significant growth, with Swart reporting a 400% increase in requests for paid protesters in Washington D.C. during the Trump era compared to previous periods ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important aspects not typically discussed in mainstream coverage of paid protest services:

• Scale of operations: Crowds on Demand declined a $20 million offer to organize national anti-Trump protests, indicating the substantial financial scale of political demonstration organizing ^[4]. This suggests that major political and advocacy organizations have significant budgets allocated for manufactured grassroots movements.
• Deceptive practices: The company sends fake paparazzi, pretend campaign protesters, and pretend news crews to events, including posing as journalists to interview attendees at gatherings like a global mason convention in San Francisco ^[5]. This raises questions about the authenticity of media coverage and crowd reactions at public events.
• Bipartisan clientele: While political discourse often focuses on one side using paid protesters, Swart explicitly states that both left and right-wing groups utilize their services, with demand shifting based on which party holds political power ^[3].

Political organizations, advocacy groups, and corporate interests would benefit from the existence of such services as they can manufacture the appearance of grassroots support or opposition without genuine public engagement. Media outlets may also benefit from more dramatic footage and storylines generated by these staged events.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral and factual, seeking information about business operations rather than making claims. However, the framing could potentially understate the broader implications of paid protest services:

• The question focuses on business mechanics rather than the ethical implications of manufacturing grassroots movements, which could normalize the practice without addressing concerns about democratic authenticity.
• By asking specifically about "protesters," the question may not capture the full scope of services, including fake paparazzi, security personnel, and news crews that blur the lines between authentic and manufactured public events ^{[2] [5]}.
• The question doesn't address the potential impact on democratic discourse when genuine grassroots movements become indistinguishable from paid performances, which could undermine public trust in authentic political expression.

The analyses suggest that paid protest services operate on a much larger scale and with more sophisticated deception techniques than commonly understood, affecting not just political demonstrations but also media coverage and public perception of events.