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[-] hzl@piefed.blahaj.zone 9 points 7 months ago

In spaces that tend to run leftist where the number of people required to stir shit is infinitely smaller than somewhere like reddit or Facebook? Why? All they have to do is show up and say something stupid and 100 people will parrot them here and on more prominent social media.

They literally get more bang for their buck doing it here.

[-] null@piefed.nullspace.lol -1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Because having an insignificantly small group of people stirred up provides an insignificant advantage.

Also much more information about the people posting is publically available here than any corporate owned platform.

Do you have any actual, credible evidence of astroturfing on ActivityPub?

[-] hzl@piefed.blahaj.zone 6 points 7 months ago

I strongly disagree. Disrupting niche communities on the edge of the left and propagating harmful narratives is an incredibly effective strategy. Look at all the people who were on here around the elections in 2024 encouraging people not to vote. Given how many people echoed that sentiment, it seems like it was pretty effective.

Honestly, believe it or don't. I don't really care. I'm not about to make a concerted effort to convince you. It's not a thesis. To me it seems pretty self-evident that what we know is happening on larger social media would also be happening here, where there's a much juicer target. Also, like, the effort they put in isn't exactly stellar. Ducks quack.

[-] null@piefed.nullspace.lol 0 points 7 months ago

Given how many people echoed that sentiment, it seems like it was pretty effective.

That was being spread on the major platforms as well. And those messages were coming from server admins here too -- are you suggesting db0 is a psyop?

There's no evidence that any action on ActivityPub translates to meaningful results in that election.

I know you feel like it's true, and you're welcome to feel that way.

[-] hzl@piefed.blahaj.zone 2 points 7 months ago

Useful idiots abound on social media, including Lemmy. Every user who echoes astro-turfing doesn't need to be a paid actor. That's the whole reason anyone does it anywhere.

[-] null@piefed.nullspace.lol 0 points 7 months ago

Again, you're welcome to follow your feelings.

this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2026
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