Russian Facebook bots, out of control?

[-Nurot]

Not entirely sure this is worth a new posting, but here it goes.

Saw an article-

http://www.businessinsider.com/rick-...anafort-2018-2

Posted it on social media with a brief commentary, to the effect saying that I personally hadn't heard much about Gates until the past couple of days and this particular story. I try to follow the enite Mueller story and hadn't heard him mentioned much (or so little the name didn't ring many bells in my mind) I then stated that I wasn't sure what he could provide something to Mueller that; Flynn, Manafort or Papadopoulos couldn't already provide the investigation. After the post I was then subsequently bombarded with dozens of responses, most from accounts with the location of Russia, calling me Pro-Trump, uneducated, and that the Trump administration was going down.

I had to delete the post after several dozen such responses and tired to re-clarify what I mean in an attempt to make the bot responses stop.

Is English such a barrier for bots, or is this common on social media now? (first time I've seen it and I usually post all my "anti-Trump admin" posts globally for all to see). Just curious if anyone has run into this... The multiple posters were claiming I was pro-Trump, definitely threw me for a huge loop, and I'm not quite sure how they/it misconstrued my wording, or why it was even responding to my posts.

Just curious if anyone has had this issue recently? I knew there were said bots, but I didn't know such, keywords, triggered them in such a manner. I heard such bots were posting on either side of the issues to cause chaos, but I guess I hadn't dealt with it personally until now.

[-Nurot]

We have literal Putin-bots here on MMO-C, their presence on larger platforms like facebook is beyond guaranteed.



Edit: tbh I don't have a clue what you meant with your post.

To clarify, I mean, I've posted many political based posts in the past on Facebook and always set them for all to see. This time, the moment I mentioned Gates (From the trump transition team), I got slammed with immediate responses from several accounts, when observed, claimed they were from a Russian location, and the majority of their posts on their pages were in Russian.

I guess I had worded my initial FB post strangely, because they accused me of being Pro-Trump/Putin, which 2 seconds of reading my previous posts, they would have realized I was not.

Like I said, I thought the transaction strange and deleted the post and re-posted it. Again, immediately, at least one of the "Russian" posters, within seconds of my re-posting, started commenting again on my post. Almost as if me typing the phrase Gates, had triggered/flagged something on their end.

The individual at this point has over 32 responses to the re-post and to people who commented on it. I'm just finding the entire interaction odd. Especially seeing as how these accounts, aren't even friends of friends, so they have no reason to stumble on my posts. Once and I'd consider it a fluke, but a second time, they must be searching for names/keywords (in this situation they must have been searching for posts involving Gates) Like I said previously, I normally set my posts, especially political, for anyone to see, but this was a first for me.

I guess my question is, since I really only come to these forums and Facebook, for my political in nature postings, is this actually a "thing" now? Just wondering how I hadn't bumped into such seemingly rapid and calculated responses until now, from "Russians", who other than literally searching for a keyword or name, have no reason to even see my post, no less respond dozens of times.

Also, again, all their replies were anti-Trump or anti-Putin in theme, the whole thing just seemed kind of surreal. I knew such bots, or trolls existed, but never personally experienced them in such magnitude, or honestly, much at all.

[Deleted]

I feel like they are great conversationalists. They often have a different view on things but always at least try to find some arguments.

[Kujako]

It worked in 2016, why would they stop now?

[Blur4stuff]

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-...m_npd_nn_tw_ma

over 200k deleted posts by them

I can't help but to laugh when Trump supporters show skepticism over the Russian influence. I remember watching this nonsense flood social media on a daily basis during the campaign. It still happens now every time there's some flare up like "release the memo" craziness.

It's not just bots, though. Russians (and others) are paid to manually post to social media and forums like this one. It's not just propaganda. Companies and individuals do this for marketing purposes as well. It's an infection all around.

[zmp]

What operating system are those bots run in? And why can't American bots use the same OS or better?

[tumppu]

What operating system are those bots run in? And why can't American bots use the same OS or better?

Maybe "the other side" doesn't think botnet propaganda isn't worth it in the end?

[Xirrohon]

To clarify, I mean, I've posted many political based posts in the past on Facebook and always set them for all to see. This time, the moment I mentioned Gates (From the trump transition team), I got slammed with immediate responses from several accounts, when observed, claimed they were from a Russian location, and the majority of their posts on their pages were in Russian.

I guess I had worded my initial FB post strangely, because they accused me of being Pro-Trump/Putin, which 2 seconds of reading my previous posts, they would have realized I was not.

Like I said, I thought the transaction strange and deleted the post and re-posted it. Again, immediately, at least one of the "Russian" posters, within seconds of my re-posting, started commenting again on my post. Almost as if me typing the phrase Gates, had triggered/flagged something on their end.

The individual at this point has over 32 responses to the re-post and to people who commented on it. I'm just finding the entire interaction odd. Especially seeing as how these accounts, aren't even friends of friends, so they have no reason to stumble on my posts. Once and I'd consider it a fluke, but a second time, they must be searching for names/keywords (in this situation they must have been searching for posts involving Gates) Like I said previously, I normally set my posts, especially political, for anyone to see, but this was a first for me.

I guess my question is, since I really only come to these forums and Facebook, for my political in nature postings, is this actually a "thing" now? Just wondering how I hadn't bumped into such seemingly rapid and calculated responses until now, from "Russians", who other than literally searching for a keyword or name, have no reason to even see my post, no less respond dozens of times.

Also, again, all their replies were anti-Trump or anti-Putin in theme, the whole thing just seemed kind of surreal. I knew such bots, or trolls existed, but never personally experienced them in such magnitude, or honestly, much at all.

Its pretty well known, well outside of this forum anyway, that there has been a very active Pro Left/Anti Right Bot Farm. I dont have FB but I know its very bad on Reddit. You will see the same post, exact words being posted on various pro left reddits, hundreds of times in literally just a few seconds. You prob ran into one.

[Rukh]

Its pretty well known, well outside of this forum anyway, that there has been a very active Pro Left/Anti Right Bot Farm. I dont have FB but I know its very bad on Reddit. You will see the same post, exact words being posted on various pro left reddits, hundreds of times in literally just a few seconds. You prob ran into one.

Post an example.

[Deleted]

Fuck failbook and all it stands for. It should be banned in all civilized countries.