A bot network (or botnet, in this context) is a collection of automated or semi-automated social media accounts controlled centrally to amplify messages, inflate engagement, or harass targets.
Detection signals
- Bursts of near-identical posts at machine-like intervals
- Reused profile images and generic bios
- Accounts created in the same short window
- Abnormal follower/following ratios
No single signal is conclusive; investigators look for patterns across many accounts.
#disinformation#social-media#automation