Respond to Woolley Automating Power Social Bot Interference in Global Politics
Wooley expounds on the how the various political actors have continued to use the previously underutilized social bots in shaping public opinion and driving political messages. Politicians have identified and harnessed the potential for the use of the social bots in driving propaganda and shaping opinions, which have been presented by the move towards more digital civic engagements. Wooley explores the increasingly use of bots on a large scale and the various political players influencing critical public decision-making processes (Woolley). Such bots have extensively been used especially when critical decisions as election are on the line. Researchers have been able to push the capabilities of the social bots to extend beyond simple human interactions and allow for their use in large-scale manipulation of opinions. The ability of the bots to mine data from various users has also made it easy for the politicians to generate messages that resonate with the target public. It is no surprise that the various politicians are always in a race to purchase bot followers and use them to create deceptive perceptions of relevance and overwhelming support on social media platforms (Woolley).
Wooley also points out to the use of bots in flooding the social media with politician-friendly propaganda and political spam. Some have been used to taint and disregard opponents through propaganda. Thus, shifting public opinion to one’s favor. Some bots are also used to demobilize the opponent’s followers by creating disruptive traffic that makes it hard for such followers interact. Wooley argues that political bots have used to target the activities of activists with an aim to suffocate free expression and suppress democracy (Woolley). Some governments have especially employed the use of these bots to silence opposition and suppress any political dissent. They have also been used by politicians and regimes to portray unreal popularity and regime strength thus pushing into people perceptions that would shape policies, elections and international relations (Woolley).
The social media has assisted raising political awareness among the masses, ensuring they are informed while still offering a platform where individuals can air their views and concerns regarding the various political systems. Such has enfranchised even the most vulnerable further contributing to democracy (Woolley). However, Wooley identifies the various deleterious political potential that is presented by the same social media technology. He identifies how unpopular regimes have to use the bot technology in large scale socio-political manipulation to ensure survival thus presenting as a challenge to individual democracy.
Work Cited
Woolley, S. C. (2016). Automating power: Social bot interference in global politics. First Monday, 21(4).