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Does Reddit have an astroturfing problem? What the data suggests

312 points · 408 comments · p-s-v

  1. zergrush · · focus · HN ↗
    This is why Reddit is a low value high effort distribution channel. When your userbase is hostile and suspicious constantly to any commercial introductions, advertising there becomes just an exercise in futility. The demographic also is problematic on Bluesky. Same on hackernews. Astroturfing is certainly a response to this friction and in turn it only creates more of it.

    Also specifically with Reddit they have allowed hiding comment history which makes it even harder, I imagine they did this for boosting ad business

    There are much better platforms to spend your effort on like X. X requires many users to purchase a subscription account and thus acts as sort of a litmus test (people who can afford low amount of money per month).

    1. khazhoux · · focus · HN ↗
      > Also specifically with Reddit they have allowed hiding comment history which makes it even harder

      Such a terrible change, and it's apparently the default for new users. I have no way to check if the person I'm about to spend 3 minutes typing a reply to is just bleep-bloop.

      1. illusive4080 · · focus · HN ↗
        On the other hand, as a Christian Conservative, I used to have people sniping my profile and replying nastily to me when I commented on completely unrelated topics, just because my ideals didn’t align with theirs. Or, auto banning me from subs based on which subs I commented to. In that way, hiding my profile has helped me, because Reddit as a whole is extremely left wing.

        Unfortunately, what you state is also true and it is now harder to avoid replying to bots, obvious shills, or trolls.

        1. zergrush · · focus · HN ↗
          yeah reddit but also its old as time I see people do it on HN as well

          this type of behavior just comes from a deep place of misery and anger

          the amount of time someone spends online is directly related to their socioeconomic status

          someone with a rich vibrant and wholesome life with economic comforts to do travelling and hobbies dont have time to go through somebodys comment history and spend time judging and trying to instigate others

          someone without those things are going to be online all day.

          1. rvrs · · focus · HN ↗
            what? the richest person on earth was so addicted to twitter that he bought it
            1. khazhoux · · focus · HN ↗
              he bought it to control the most politically-influential (at the time) social platform.
          2. illusive4080 · · focus · HN ↗
            Happens a lot less on HN. While HN isn’t perfect, people are usually respectful to each other.
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