While tech companies stand proudly behind their bots, the people who create prolific and ideological social bots hide behind them. PhotoAnonymous social bots are obviously distinct from carefully designed software programmed in good faith. research, while crudely scripted social bots must merely clear the low bar of passing for an angry stranger. Less transparent social bots — primarily on Twitter and other social platforms — posed a risk to media and discourse. Alexa reminds us what Amazon wants; Twitter bots show us how online mass communication breaks down.

Source: New York Times November 01, 2017 12:33 UTC