Honestly I'm not sure where best to discuss this but I've been seeing a crazy rise in astroturfing lately.
A couple examples I've found that are boggling my mind: Antivirus https://old.reddit.com/r/GettingOverItGame/comments/165kgw7/best_antivirus_reddit_recommends_in_2023_for/ Here is a niche gaming subreddit crosspost of a post on a user whose posts are kinda... sus? They all seem like shit copy written by AI.
I mean who says
Reddit, with its vast user-driven content and unfiltered opinions, is a goldmine for genuine reviews. If you're searching for the best antivirus Reddit users vouch for in 2023, you're in the right place.
Hella questionable.
And the links? 1: removed post. 2: Links thru some redirecter that are all to the two VPNs being advertised by the post.
I mean it's obviously an advertisement just from the fact that only the two shilled services are linked to.
Another example: https://old.reddit.com/r/Spyware/comments/159e2te/what_is_the_best_antivirus_of_2023/
Same products. Same links to only the shilled products. There's also links to trustpilot but I did a bit of digging and it seems that they're like yelp in that you can get reviews removed? sigh.
What I find interesting here is the fact that this spyware subreddit is new and tiny, and one of the moderators made this veryyyyy similar AI post.
I mean it even has almost the exact same "Other Subreddits to _____ Antivirus Software" section.
Frankly I'm wondering if I should break the links just so they don't get extra weight on search engines.
I've also seen tons of sock puppet accounts for crappy dating apps, but honestly I'm more of a lurker and I've ran out of energy to write anything else here π
Neat joke, often repeated, but it is useful to discuss what's happening on one of the biggest websites on the Internet, despite the mass amount of PTSD Reddit has generated to Lemmy users.
Such as, the rise of AI posts on the internet is a big issue.
To who?
Anyone here is already well aware.
Those still on reddit? They are not me so I don't care. Personal choice and all that. I am not my brother's keeper.
Those that never went on reddit? It already has a hive of scum and villainy reputation across a lot of other social media and with good reason in most cases.
Meh. Again that will happen no matter what serious words you want to post here.
We are all along for the ride, none of us is driving.
The absoulte, fucking irony of posting such a comment on a community titled "SNOOcalypse - document, discuss, and promote the downfall of Reddit."
Tell me you're browsing "ALL" without telling me you're broswing "ALL"