> What is the real value of social media when most of the content posted is created by a bot?
Besides the maybe 5% or so of people I interact with online that I actually know IRL, I don't really care if I'm interacting with a bot.
A bot could have secretly written your message and I'd still leave the same reply. Anyone that replies to me could also secretly be a bot and I'd read their comment the same. This whole HN post could just be bots all the way down and it'd still be an interesting read through the comments. Even if the replies are from humans, if they're indistinguishable from other humans I still don't really care about who wrote them.
Engagement is engagement and my Sims-esque social bar refills at the same rate.
Besides the maybe 5% or so of people I interact with online that I actually know IRL, I don't really care if I'm interacting with a bot.
A bot could have secretly written your message and I'd still leave the same reply. Anyone that replies to me could also secretly be a bot and I'd read their comment the same. This whole HN post could just be bots all the way down and it'd still be an interesting read through the comments. Even if the replies are from humans, if they're indistinguishable from other humans I still don't really care about who wrote them.
Engagement is engagement and my Sims-esque social bar refills at the same rate.