Are trolls, bots, and AI surveillance being used to foment both hate and exclusion in 2020?

Pivot Point: Tools of Persuasion — Are trolls, bots, and AI surveillance being used to foment both hate and exclusion in 2020?

I believe that social media is being used to persuade you and you may not even know it. We have to become better at understanding nuance.

How does this work?

1. Trolls are being used (or are people tapped to support a particular agenda) to amplify a particular incident or behavior.

2. Bots and AI technology can also be used to surveil unsuspecting targets (LinkedIn Targets, their friends, and others who may be sympathetic to the issue).

3. They amplify a message by attaching an emotionally stimulating link (usually targeting a behavior haters are trying to reinforce)

4. Bots or AI surveillance systems are used to find and to distribute these messages widely (especially AI systems designed to analyze patterns,practice, and behavior).

5. The ultimate objective is influencing a particular outcome in the user’s attitude (to embolden, increase anxiety, promote fear, or intolerance).

6. Unassuming fence sitters are often the target.

The question to ask is: Do I trust the information I am getting? Is there a hidden agenda? Am I getting unsolicited and targeted messages from someone that you don’t know?

Think critically about the messaging that is being sent.

Action: Don’t respond or share with others — you may have been “disinfobombed.”

Disinfobombed means that you are the target of someone with a hidden agenda or disinformation.

You might label the message as a “disinfobomb” attempt in the commenting section. However,the message sender is likely to begin a chain of responses and false narratives.

Effenus Henderson, HenderWorks,Inc.