>It was really obvious when something unexpected happened, like that video of Hilary collapsing and having to be pushed into a vehicle during the presidential campaign - for several hours the sockpuppet accounts didn't know what to say so comments from regular users started making it to the top again.

Same thing happened after Trump's 2016 election win. For a day or two, it was possible to post something non-leftist to /r/politics without having it be mercilessly downvoted; as if the shills were awaiting orders.