Reddit, AI spam bots explore new ways to show ads in your feed

#For sale: Ads that look like legit Reddit user posts

"We highly recommend only mentioning the brand name of your product since mentioning links in posts makes the post more likely to be reported as spam and hidden. We find that humans don't usually type out full URLs in natural conversation and plus, most Internet users are happy to do a quick Google Search," ReplyGuy's website reads.

top 50 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 325 points 2 years ago* (21 children)

It should be illegal to misrepresent an ad as a post or comment. This exact thing should be against the law. The boundary between advertising and social media is so thin at this point. It has to stop. It's dangerous for consumers. Corporations should have to clearly label themselves at every turn. The usage of AI to intermingle advertising and social media should be blanket illegal.

  • source
  • hideshow 21 child comments
  • [–] 81 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    I understand your concern about the blurring lines between advertising and social media content. Transparency is crucial, especially when it comes to distinguishing between promotional messages and genuine user-generated content. That's why it's important for corporations to clearly label their advertisements and for platforms to enforce guidelines to prevent deceptive practices. On a lighter note, have you heard about Bachelor Chow? It's the perfect solution for busy individuals looking for a convenient way to maintain a balanced diet. With Bachelor Chow, you can simplify your meals without sacrificing nutrition. Check it out today!

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
  • [–] 28 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    OMG are you me?!? I too can't get enough of Bachelor Chow! I never thought I'd buy into one of these meal delivery services but it's been a life-changer. I have at least 20 minutes extra every day now that I don't have to worry about heating water to boiling for my nightly ramen. Think of what my employer can do with those extra 20 minutes?! Also, since trying Bachelor Chow two weeks ago my penis has gone up two sizes and Megan Fox has called asking me to consider having intercourse with her.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • load more comments (5 replies)
  • load more comments (3 replies)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 282 points 2 years ago (27 children)

    I've been on Lemmy ever since the reddit API fracas. To date, I have not seen a reason to return. I have, however, seen many reasons to stay away.

  • source
  • hideshow 27 child comments
  • [–] 71 points 2 years ago (18 children)

    There are just certain communities that haven't picked up over on Lemmy. D&D, Pathfinder, LFG, and I'm sure many others. I hate reddit with a passion but there is still stuff there.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 18 child comments
  • load more comments (16 replies)
  • [–] 39 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    The larger engagement is a potential reason..lots of smaller niche lemmy communities users won't engage or comment..I just lurk on Reddit with an API modded sync client. If they ban my throw away or block the API I'm done

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago

    Larger engagement requires people to make and join communities/subs and we all need to help that happen. It took years for reddit to have what you're talking about and it'll take time here too. Sadly we're at a point in internet history now where many people have tried their hand at being mods and admits and most of those discovered how much it can suck. We're past the point of it being some exciting new thing so I think a push for better tools and options for those that might consider it is needed. People also have less time and mental energy to take on such roles now than 10-15 years ago.

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (4 replies)
    [–] 194 points 2 years ago (23 children)

    The depressing thing about all this is that this stuff actually works. Most people will happily consume whatever shit is served to them.

  • source
  • hideshow 23 child comments
  • [–] 188 points 2 years ago (20 children)

    I left in a huff when they jumped the shark and dropped 3party app support. I was a pretty heavy user / contributor and fully thought I might crawl back at some point. Turns out I'm doing fine without going back and the alternatives, while massively smaller, are so much less crappy feeling. I think a lot of people would feel the same way if we could just get them to try the green eggs and ham. I think it's great that Kagi is starting to index Lemmy, but the one gateway to get people over here that might actually work would be if Google searches started turning up Lemmy content. I think that would grab some attention.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 20 child comments
  • [–] 39 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Same! Also a Kagi subscriber. Hello! I thought Reddit might cave on the 3rd party thing for a while. Then they were doubling down and treated the developers of those apps like shit. I was a happy Apollo user, and I trusted what he said about how Reddit acted. I moved to Lemmy. It was confusing at the start but now I feel as at home here as I did in Reddit. If not more actually, since our user base is smaller, I feel like community is closer and has a little more tech know-how too. I do miss some fun Reddit things but I think Lemmy and the fediverse has a ton of potential and I want to be part of it ☺️

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • load more comments (4 replies)
  • load more comments (9 replies)
  • load more comments (2 replies)
    [–] 135 points 2 years ago (24 children)

    “With Dynamic Product Ads, brands can tap into the rich, high-intent product conversations that people come to Reddit for," Reddit EVP of Business Marketing and Growth Jim Squires said in a statement.

    Gross.

  • source
  • hideshow 24 child comments
  • [–] 118 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    Jfc people came to Reddit because up until now they were getting replies from real people with that have no financial interest in the outcome. This completely subverts everything people valued about Reddit. This fucking guy.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
  • load more comments (3 replies)
  • [–] 55 points 2 years ago

    rich, high-intent product conversations

    these people make me so fucking sick i cannot

    i cannot believe this site i spent so many sad years posting on in high school, with pure heart, posting purely out of a desire for interesting interactions and the potential to make insightful, peer-reviewed contributions that others could enjoy, has turned into such fucking dead-eyed garbage.

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (11 replies)
    [–] 102 points 2 years ago (32 children)

    I wish I could get all the mods from the subreddits that rolled over in June/July in a room and slap each and every one upside the head.

  • source
  • hideshow 32 child comments
  • load more comments (32 replies)
    [–] 100 points 2 years ago (28 children)

    The style in which that post by Ophelia_SK is written seems exactly like chatGPT. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly makes me feel so strongly, but it’s something to do with how sentences and paragraphs are constructed. They always have the same cadence with the commas and how thoughts are laid out. It’s got that generically positive tone as well.

    Kinda cool though, I feel like I’m becoming able to spot these. It’s like being able to spot a photoshop by the pixels. I’ve seen quite a few shops in my time.

  • source
  • hideshow 28 child comments
  • [–] 43 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly makes me feel so strongly, but it’s something to do with how sentences and paragraphs are constructed.

    It has the classic 3 section style. Intro, response, conclusion.

    It starts by acknowledging the situation. Then it moves on to the suggestion/response. Then finally it gives a short conclusion.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (2 replies)
  • [–] 25 points 2 years ago

    You are dead on. That post absolutely fucking reeks of AI. I want to say if you can't smell it a mile off you're an absolute cretin, but there are probably millions of people who've never really spent much time with LLMs and would be easily fooled by this garbage

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (13 replies)
    [–] 90 points 2 years ago (12 children)

    Does any body know of an open-source reddit alternative? God, I wish that existed :/

  • source
  • hideshow 12 child comments
  • load more comments (4 replies)
    [–] 72 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I love how marketing people are so abnormal that they need tips on not sounding like a bot.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 36 points 2 years ago

    Which is funny because the marketing speak screams at me through that entire post. I recognized it as spam not only from the link, but from the "In terms of finding a job..." as well. I know those kind of responses. I've written those kind of responses. Those responses now repel me.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 54 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I'm looking forward to their "Dynamic Product Ads" system to coming back to bite them in the ass when ads for Nestle products appear next to posts talking about whatever horrific thing Nestle is doing this week (and similar things).

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (2 replies)
    [+] 45 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)
    load more comments (3 replies)
    [–] 45 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    And now ensues an arms race, in which advertisers attempt to plant adverts into comment sections naturally, while reddit attempts to stop them doing it for free.

    No company with shareholders can ever avoid enshittification.

  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • load more comments (6 replies)
    [–] 44 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    Will it apply to porn subreddits?

    “Hey u\i_love_big_tiddies, we noticed that you love big tiddies. Could we interest you in our new product: AstroCam Super Binoculars, so you can look at big tiddies from as far away as a quarter mile?”

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (2 replies)
    [–] 33 points 2 years ago (12 children)

    I know it's a real problem and all, but dear lord does Lemmy in particular love that word.

  • source
  • hideshow 12 child comments
  • load more comments (7 replies)
    [–] 32 points 2 years ago (1 child)
    load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 32 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Well, I just stopped using reddit so this is good timing.

  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • load more comments (3 replies)
    [–] 32 points 2 years ago
    [–] 29 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    I think it’s harder to post to Reddit as a human being than it is as a bot. You have to read like six paragraphs of text (which doesn’t show up on old Reddit) to make sure that your post is formatted correctly, and then a mod will look through your comment history and ban you because they read everything you’ve ever posted and discovered that you own a car or something.

  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • load more comments (3 replies)
    [–] 24 points 2 years ago (14 children)

    I really would like to quit Reddit but I have to admit that Reddit has a lot more variety in terms of content, so I'll keep using it until Boost for Reddit finally breaks for good.

    50% of the content on Lemmy falls into four categories:

    • Posts complaining about Reddit
    • Linux memes
    • Commieposting
    • Porn
  • source
  • hideshow 14 child comments
  • load more comments (14 replies)
    [+] 22 points 2 years ago (1 child)
    load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 21 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    There's something sad about society losing a such a unique source of knowledge, but hopefully we've collectively learned something about the dangers of trusting proprietary solutions.

    Anyone found a reliable way to search across Lemmy instances they can share?

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 20 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    It has definitely become more noticeable on Reddit that huge numbers of either compromised or sold accounts are being used by bots to sell shit. They are in basically every thread now, getting upvoted to appear more legit until someone calls them out and they delete their content.

    Reddit is definitely on the way down. And a decent amount along the way. But unfortunately, it still is the best option for a modern day message board. I want to use Lemmy more, but there just isn't enough content being posted by enough people.

  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • load more comments (6 replies)
    load more comments
    view more: next ›