Thread

Does Reddit have an astroturfing problem? What the data suggests

312 points · 408 comments · p-s-v

nomel · 1790637663 · focus · HN ↗
> Thin accounts: few comments, low scores, no real standing in the subreddit.
> Young accounts, or accounts with histories that are hidden or wiped.
Nope, this is no longer an indicator of a bot account. Many that I've looked into will have active posts to local town/region subreddits (often times multiple!) and different sports subreddits, sometimes getting unusually high amounts of karma in them (which suggests a network).
Turing test is looong dead, so no reason to assume the small fractions of a cent to make comments, to get a reasonable history, isn't being taken advantage of.
1. sippingabonedry · 1790640279 · focus · HN ↗
  Too many subreddits still have minimum karma or account age requirements. Most of those are ruled by tyrant moderators so you're not missing much, but it's made the site largely useless. I estimate 60% of discussions on Reddit are fake or fabricated on some level.
  Can't post honest questions anymore without posting obviously phony pandering banter first to increase your karma. What's worse, it promotes the bad behaviors the bots are actually good it.
  Bring back forums.
  1. geocar · 1790653622 · focus · HN ↗
    > I estimate 60% of discussions on Reddit are fake or fabricated on some level.
    Why so low?
    I think it is higher than 99%
    > Can't post honest questions anymore without posting obviously phony pandering banter first to increase your karma
    Or just buy a "pre aged" account. They're only a few cents each if you buy them in bulk.
    Sha1rholder · 1790654662 · focus · HN ↗
    No. Much more expensive.
    monster_truck · 1790655886 · focus · HN ↗
    You are vastly underestimating the level of bulk
    Sha1rholder · 1790925567 · focus · HN ↗
    You are vastly underestimating the level of price.
    Accounts ARE expensive.

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