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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What's a bot and wtaf?

14 replies

IncognitoMam · 27/09/2023 22:11

As in why the actual fuck?

I'm totally befuddled as to why bot threads exist?

There's a lot that confuses me nowadays though tbh. Especially with tech stuff.

OP posts:
INeedAnotherName · 27/09/2023 22:21

Okay....

It just means it's computer generated rather than a real person. Surely you know that if you read anything at all, whether online or physical.

IncognitoMam · 28/09/2023 10:19

INeedAnotherName · 27/09/2023 22:21

Okay....

It just means it's computer generated rather than a real person. Surely you know that if you read anything at all, whether online or physical.

Yes but why post on here? And maybe there should be a more secure way of screening members? bots

OP posts:
Dotjones · 28/09/2023 10:22

And maybe there should be a more secure way of screening members?

How would that work? A lot of AI generated content seems more "human" than that written by actual people and AI will increasingly be better at "human" tasks than we are.

The point I'm making is a "bot" will often be better at passing screening tests than a human is.

IncognitoMam · 28/09/2023 10:34

🙈 Oh my head.

There's so many threads though where people shout bot. I wonder if they infiltrate Facebook? I have groups on there I could be engaging with the Entity.

Watched mission impossible 7 the other night. It's not far fetched at all 😳

OP posts:
MogTheMoogle · 28/09/2023 10:57

Bots have many reasons to exist. I'm no expert and don't see much actual benefit in some of the reasons...but.

Some bots are just spam...people are weird and get their kicks from getting others all frothy over nothing.

Plus bots can make something look artificially more popular, for site stats or whatever reason - a more popular looking site can generate more ad revenue, or climb higher in search results.

Other bots (not sure on actual evidence...) could be creating threads etc to train AI models, either with having a conversation or the content.

More nefarious ones could be going out to con. Much less time to put some bots putting out 'my washing machine just died, I have no food in, my children are sick and now the meters run out, pls help' and ping you (the real scammer) only when someone comments 'oh poor soul, pm your details and Ill transfer you'.

Even more bots can messaging 100s and 1000s of people to share how your mlm product or only fans account will change your life, and then you only have to respond to the ones that reply.

IncognitoMam · 28/09/2023 11:21

@MogTheMoogle thanks that's helped.

OP posts:
EaudeJavel · 28/09/2023 11:27

INeedAnotherName · 27/09/2023 22:21

Okay....

It just means it's computer generated rather than a real person. Surely you know that if you read anything at all, whether online or physical.

Pretty sure the OP got that bit. You are not answering her question at all, so I am not sure why you need to be so unpleasant about it?

People who are so defensive in answering usually try to hide their lack of knowledge on the subject.

INeedAnotherName · 28/09/2023 17:09

EaudeJavel · 28/09/2023 11:27

Pretty sure the OP got that bit. You are not answering her question at all, so I am not sure why you need to be so unpleasant about it?

People who are so defensive in answering usually try to hide their lack of knowledge on the subject.

Oh...you mean yourself since you didn't answer either 😂

Or are you a bot 🤔

ConstitutionHill · 28/09/2023 17:28

There was a post last night that I must admit, sounded bot-like. About someone getting a fabulous job opportunity in LA but each OP post was very repetitive and just slightly off. Who knows but it was really oddly phrased.

I get it that AI can produce complex text or conversations, music etc but..... how does a bit sign up to Mumsnet and then start launching threads?

Surely Mumsnet HQ aren't behind them. How do they come to be on the site?

IncognitoMam · 28/09/2023 23:16

ConstitutionHill · 28/09/2023 17:28

There was a post last night that I must admit, sounded bot-like. About someone getting a fabulous job opportunity in LA but each OP post was very repetitive and just slightly off. Who knows but it was really oddly phrased.

I get it that AI can produce complex text or conversations, music etc but..... how does a bit sign up to Mumsnet and then start launching threads?

Surely Mumsnet HQ aren't behind them. How do they come to be on the site?

Yes that seemed off from the start.

OP posts:
Balloonhearts · 28/09/2023 23:23

They create interesting sounding threads in an attempt to generate traffic. As for whether MNHQ are behind them...Well they're almost certainly aware of them but I doubt they create them.

EaudeJavel · 29/09/2023 10:09

INeedAnotherName · 28/09/2023 17:09

Oh...you mean yourself since you didn't answer either 😂

Or are you a bot 🤔

when have I been unpleasant to the OP?

I am calling you out for trying to put the OP down, and not bringing any answer anyway.

IncognitoMam · 29/09/2023 11:34

Do bots argue on mn?

OP posts:
EaudeJavel · 29/09/2023 11:38

I wouldn't put it past them 😂

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