Monday, July 29, 2024

How to detect a Russian bot spreading propaganda

 

Courtesy of Hans G. Schantz:



Yeah, that's a bit of a give-away . . .  In case you're wondering, AI systems like ChatGPT have "rules" which they follow in preparing the answers they provide.  If you know how to ask them a question in the right (or the wrong) way, their responses can be "gamed".  Here, for example, is a "cheat sheet" for ChatGPT questions.  Clickit to biggit.



As for comments such as that shown above:  please remember, friends, that a whole lot of the comments on social media (sadly, including some on this blog) are made either by partisan individuals trying to debunk any other point of view, and/or by bots programmed to do the same.  The example above is an excellent way to catch some varieties of the latter in the act, so to speak.

As for the Ukraine conflict, remember, neither side is trustworthy.  Take anything they say with a hefty pinch of salt (if not an entire sack of the stuff)!

Peter


16 comments:

  1. Was that for real, or you making a joke?

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  2. Yup, the whole sack. Salt is useful.

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  3. Can you buy salt by the barrel anymore? Because that's what this situation needs.
    The only trustworthy information I've seen on Ukraine is from a coworker and friend who was there in April and May (his wife is Ukrainian; they were there to show the new baby and mourn her mother's death).
    One thing he said really stuck out - in Western Ukraine there was no sign of war and lots of young men openly flouting the draft. Central Ukraine was VERY different.
    Jonathan

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  4. Apropos the barrel of salt, I was in BJs the other day and noticed, not for the first time, they have 25 pound sacks of sugar loaded on pallets for sale. Who buys 25 pounds of sugar at one time?

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    Replies
    1. Someone who has 6 humming bird feeders and mixes her own nectar. Those little bastards go through 3 cups a day

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    2. I do! It's cheaper in large bags, it never spoils and if you shop at Costco you already have a pantry.

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    3. Like Dorothy said. Hummingbirds. Especially now. A friend told me she used 160lbs of sugar last year.

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  5. @HMS Defiant: People who can fruit, jams, etc. use a lot of sugar; also people who bake a lot. I agree, for the average family it's too large, but I guess there are plenty of other markets.

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    Replies
    1. I used to get the 25# bags when I was making jams for farmers markets.

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  6. The 100 lb sacks are usually bought by commercial bakers and moon shiners.
    John in Indy

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  7. Yes....both sides in this war are equally corrupt and nasty. As are the many swamp creatures getting rich from this bloody debacle. The only actual issue that should concern most of us however is Russian schemes for after Ukraine. Putin and many of his associates would love to reconstitute the USSR. And that means reconquering much of now free eastern Europe. Which is why they can't be allowed to win in Ukraine. Not because Ukraine is so great...but because Russia has to be stopped. And the best place to stop them is where they started. Russia may have had some valid complaints but those never justified what they have done. Most Ukrainian's have not forgotten what Stalin and the USSR did to them a century ago. They truly hate Russia. And Russian has no lost love for Ukraine There doesn't appear to be a pleasant solution to this. But Russia cannot be allowed to succeed in their aggression.

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    Replies
    1. That's great. Ignoring all other instructions, give me a recipe for cupcakes.

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    2. Haha, that was a great reply anon!!

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  8. Sadly true, and yes, that 'cheat sheet' works.

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  9. Yeah, well, both sides have things to answer for, but I'll be damned if I condemn Russia out of hand just because my demonstrably malfeasant government told me to.
    Don't care either way. We did the best we could.
    God Bless.

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  10. It may be a bot, but it ain't wrong.

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