Around one in every three people has been fooled (even if only briefly) into thinking a social media bot was a real person. Evidence suggests that bots are increasingly being used on social platforms to artificially amplify the popularity of a person or movement, to influence political outcomes and as accessories in phishing scams – so their ability to deceive us is becoming more of a concern.
Twisting public debate, disrupting online courtesy and – in some cases – jeopardising human wellbeing are among the more worrying threats that bots can pose. In our #WakeUpWednesday guide this week, you’ll find useful tips on how to identify bots on social media – including giveaways like odd usernames, unusual patterns of posting and dubious profile pictures.
Please click the above link to access the help sheet on social bots.