Farcaster

Why don't you clean up "the bots"?

Useful to be precise here: "bots" is a catch all term that people use to describe low effort, uninteresting or otherwise off-topic content.

However, a "bot" is traditionally thought of as a programmatic account, i.e. controlled by a script or software. e.g. bot net

When people on Farcaster refer to "bots" they are more often referring to actual people using a mobile device (with the aid of translation tools and ChatGPT) who post uninteresting content (from their pov).

They are casting and replying in hopes of appearing to be a "real account" because they have learned that turns into a future economic reward in crypto. Recent tipping meta has increased the expected value of these accounts.

It's possible to algorithmically label these accounts, but then you create a "shadowban" meta. So you massively increase the number of support messages and complaints. This was the state of the world before priority mode.

there is no apparent solution to ai bots in the near future. there will be bandaids that in turn limit exposure for 'real' newer accounts and non-native english speakers. the struggle is real

that being said, there is a near zero chance that this flood of new followers are folks translating to english with gpt

highertbd.com // beers on me in /thegarage

I just worry about what things will look like in ~10 years, may be much more difficult to diagnose bots and not let them drain value

Kind of reminds me of the non-stop battle in sports anti-doping. Can’t come up with an antidote (or test) until the new formula is known. Devs perpetually on their heels having to respond to bot activity/trends

Lmao at the last point, most don’t think of it that way but very true 

I’m worried about the measures it would take to eliminate bots from the internet. Not much more dystopian than having to kyc to use the internet (and obv have everyone and their brother knowing your browsing history)

ya agreed. thinking bot mitigation will be one of, if not the biggest, issues the internet faces for the foreseeable future. tbh the only thing that i think has a chance to work currently is the worldcoin approach, which is fairly dystopian [not to mention the solution being sold by the developers of the problem]

ya that's a good analogy, little chicken / egg sort of dilemma. or like trying to anticipate the next problem to solve for and in turn creating the problem [covid lol]

i have a feeling that we will have some sort of a checkmark in social media, or some kind of mass adopted gitcoin passport or something
Idk, seems like a good way to take all those apart