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The problem nowadays is that it’s getting harder to separate legitimate speech from automated amplified speech. Those who are able to build networks of bot acc
by save_ferris 6y ago
The problem nowadays is that it’s getting harder to separate legitimate speech from automated amplified speech.
Those who are able to build networks of bot accounts are able to deeply undermine discourse in dangerous ways, and social media platforms aren’t financially incentivized to deal with it.
Twitter could tell us right now how many bots are on the platform, but they never will because it could tank their stock.
As long as platforms can be manipulated by automation, this intentionally destructive speech will continue to proliferate.
- thwarted 6y agoThis point reveals an angle that is rarely recognized: what needs responding to is not the mass amount of speech that comes from automated bots, for automated bots won't listen to the response. What needs responding to is the people who listen to automated bots. The concept of responding to speech with speech is focused on reason and debate between the speakers themselves. But with automated amplified speech, no debate can exist because, at the surface, there are not multiple human actors. And at a separate layer, those who listen to amplified automated speech can not be reasoned with or debated with, the opinions are not their own and if they were reasonable they wouldn't be listening to the automated speech to begin with.