Why aren't people aware that the Republican National Committe uses online forums like these to spread rumors?

It's a known fact that when Karl Rove was managing a judge's election campaign in Alabam in 1994, he spread rumors that a sitting judge who was his candidate's opponent was gay and a pedophile. Both charges were complete lies, but Rove found a brilliant way to spread his lies - he began a whispering campaign at the University of Alabama law school that attracted students from all over the state. Thus, rather than the rumors seeming to come from one place, actually seemed to be coming from everywhere and made the sickening lie all the more believable. This is historical fact, of which Rove himself is quite proud. In addition former (or ashamed) Republican operatives openly admit to using the internet on a regular basis in this exact same way in order to give the appearance that the latest smear is coming from within the country rather than operatives. Is it possible people are still unaware that this is happening?