Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> And it means that over half weren't bots.

Just a small number of fake accounts can likely stir up tensions quite a lot.

I've noticed some of the biggest outrage usually comes as reactions to screenshots of what the other side is saying. There is of course nothing preventing you from running some of those accounts as well.





Also, the tone of the posts might be quite different. Maybe the non-bot critical posts have more nuance or say "this new logo is boring, bring back the new one" and the bots say "this is DEI run amok, boycott Cracker Barrel!" and a bunch of other invectives I don't even want to post as an example.

Outrage drives engagement. It’s expected any algorithm that tries to maximize engagement will push inflammatory messages.

The logo and interior design was s--t.

Found the bot

Twitter API access was quite expensive last time I checked.

Residential proxies and headless browsers are also a thing, as is hiring a bunch of actual people to carry out the operation.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Research_Agency




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: