There are AI bots literally scrapping the whole internet many times over. There were even tools to check negative sentiment all across the social media before AI blew up.

Propaganda doesn't care about small or big subs, it has to seem subtle. Since it's anonymous to anyone but the operators, it's not a wild assumption. Small subs also often use bots for posting controversial things just for creating engagement.

Most repost bots are probably run by mods or even admins. Seeing as they never ban them, it's not that farfetched.

The web wasn't automated last year with AI. It's been a playing ground for shaping narratives for decades.

[–] Blaze@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 week ago

Most repost bots are probably run by mods or even admins. Seeing as they never ban them, it’s not that farfetched.

For /r/RedditAlternatives, one of the mods is @Madbrad200@sh.itjust.works , who regularly post here to try to make the platform grow https://lemmy.zip/post/17001110

They probably wouldn't allow obvious post to stay on that sub