I'm not convinced that VOAT is experiencing forum-sliding that is not a wider pattern of "culture jamming"... yet. I think when registration reopens, it will. I worry we might lose our chance to do something intelligent with this window.
Not significantly, but /v/news would be the first place to see it. I actually think /v/news should be banned because it's a false idea, to have one "news" area, but that is besides the point.
A number of marketing/pr firms/etc registered counts here as soon as it started to gain traction months ago, just in case. This is their job, and they couldn't afford to miss out. They are active in small ways but don't have critical mass.
One marketeer/propagandist is just a voice. At best, it's a troll; at worst, it's that guy who you don't want on your side. It's the bots that seem to really derail the signal-to-noise ratio. I think we're in agreement.
Good idea about /v/news. And a campaign year is probably the best time to tell.
Who has known bot programs? Russia. China. America. But governments are less nimble than businesses, so the better work is probably being done by marketeers -- expect this in a campaign year. "Anonymous" or "4Chan" or whatever name you want to give to internet assholes are probably the best at it.
Lots of people. That's part of the problem. The bots (and other astroturfers) reflect their masters, but they do it poorly. Imagine that a room full of people is arguing. Some people have megaphones which make their voices louder -- but distorted. Eventually, you just have a room full of noise.
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pitenius ago
I'm not convinced that VOAT is experiencing forum-sliding that is not a wider pattern of "culture jamming"... yet. I think when registration reopens, it will. I worry we might lose our chance to do something intelligent with this window.
But Mockingbird? Totes on-going.
Empire_of_the_mind ago
Not significantly, but /v/news would be the first place to see it. I actually think /v/news should be banned because it's a false idea, to have one "news" area, but that is besides the point.
A number of marketing/pr firms/etc registered counts here as soon as it started to gain traction months ago, just in case. This is their job, and they couldn't afford to miss out. They are active in small ways but don't have critical mass.
pitenius ago
One marketeer/propagandist is just a voice. At best, it's a troll; at worst, it's that guy who you don't want on your side. It's the bots that seem to really derail the signal-to-noise ratio. I think we're in agreement.
Good idea about /v/news. And a campaign year is probably the best time to tell.
Empire_of_the_mind ago
who do you think is controlling the bots?
pitenius ago
Who has known bot programs? Russia. China. America. But governments are less nimble than businesses, so the better work is probably being done by marketeers -- expect this in a campaign year. "Anonymous" or "4Chan" or whatever name you want to give to internet assholes are probably the best at it.
Lots of people. That's part of the problem. The bots (and other astroturfers) reflect their masters, but they do it poorly. Imagine that a room full of people is arguing. Some people have megaphones which make their voices louder -- but distorted. Eventually, you just have a room full of noise.
Empire_of_the_mind ago
governments and business work together. there's little that one can do that the other can't.