sandspar 8 days ago

There doesn't need to be a team. Individuals can act according to personal incentives and still create coordinated behavior. Look at flocks of birds. Each bird acts for itself; together they move in unison.

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joenot443 7 days ago

Right, but isn't that just fans being fans?

Usually when I read "astroturfed" I assume there's some higher level coordination involved. I think the flock of birds metaphor is probably a reasonable comparison to the behavior we see on social media all the time - members acting individually on their own self interests in a means which appears coordinated when you zoom out.

okdood64 7 days ago

Sure, but that's not what 'astroturf campaigns' impies.

sandspar 7 days ago

The top level comment was questioning why sentiment changes so frequently.

bigyabai 7 days ago

I think this is how you induce schizophrenia in yourself, not how you identify secret psyop campaigns organized by private sponsors.