Post · Open Science

@SnowyCA It's a good article about fake accounts but I would like to differ: #bots are not automatically trolling or fake accounts! And not every fake account is a #bot (see Putins troll factories).

In the #Fediverse, we have very useful and good bots! And the possibility to mark an account as automated: https://fedi.tips/why-are-some-accounts-marked-bot-on-mastodon/
I just was sad that an important bot instance has gone where I followed Voyager1's messages.

The article above is only about pure #propaganda bots.

https://fedi.tips

Why are some accounts marked “Automated” on Mastodon?

An unofficial guide to using Mastodon and the Fediverse

SnowyCA :vivaldi_red:

@SnowyCA@social.vivaldi.net replied · 4 days ago

@NatureMC

this is why I pointed out "

"It's often difficult to know if we are simply having a disagreement with a real person or a bot"

The news bots etc...on fedi don't respond to replies...that's the difference.

Also, on fedi there ARE some bots who DO talk with us, and sound very much like real people. I have ane such account on my blocklist.
They are not identified as such on their handle and that needs to be addressed by the powers that be on fedi.
I've read recent articles saying talking with human-like bots can lead to psychosis and self-harm.

Petra van Cronenburg

@NatureMC@mastodon.online replied · 4 days ago

@SnowyCA You have always the possibility to report bad/harming bots.
The "automated" sign is given by the bot owner, not by "powers" (decentralisation).

Talking with bots: Nearly every customer/feedback service nowadays is a bot (even at health insurance).
But these articles were about KI-bots designed especially as "friends" (like FB uses them).
Please differ. At first, a bot is just an automation technique, nothing more.

SnowyCA :vivaldi_red:

@SnowyCA@social.vivaldi.net replied · 4 days ago

@NatureMC

We do report troll bots.

The automated sign is sometimes missing and should be a requirement not an option

Customer bots are not covered by or have anything to do with this article. (and they are useless)

I'm not sure why you think my post is unclear --it says " on social media" .

Petra van Cronenburg

@NatureMC@mastodon.online replied · 4 days ago

@SnowyCA Sorry, I didn't want to criticise your post (I favourited it)!
My critics go to the article's framing of "social media bots" as trolls - and I just say that we should differ in which way a technique is used because the bad image of (normal) bots comes from such blanket generalisations like in that headline. (Only later in the article they say that they are speaking about propaganda accounts).
I commented only the article, not your post!

SnowyCA :vivaldi_red:

@SnowyCA@social.vivaldi.net replied · 4 days ago

@NatureMC Thanks for the explanation.

Recently several of us had an encounter with a Russian disinformation bot farm -I think there were over 30 accounts spread across fediverse. Mods told me they have been playing whack-a-mole for some time now with that bot farm--it's quite persistent.
A few people were asking how we knew the accounts were not legit.

As you know this is a problem that pops up quite often

As you said, the article did point out the difference.

I understand and appreciate your pointing out the differences.

What I often do when annoyed with headlines or articles is send a blistering email to the source and tell them to smarten up and stop the clickbaiting--it's likely they won't change their policy but it sure makes me feel better. 😂

Petra van Cronenburg

@NatureMC@mastodon.online replied · 4 days ago

@SnowyCA Your way of sending critics to the source is very good! I like it.

And yes, unfortunately, we have a hybrid war everywhere, and these waves come from time to time to the Fediverse (recently we had also Magas). Although it is extremely difficult to immediately prevent such accounts in a decentralised network, I am glad that our system of real people as moderators is quite effective.

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