• SerotoninSwells@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    1 day ago

    It can be both. Reddit has a history of fabricating conversations. The way they sell advertising implies a certain level of engagement from their user base which can lead to bots pushing products in the form of reviews or by mention.

    I think it’s worth noting that Reddit, at one time, did have third party bot protection; however, it only protected their advertising. I can only imagine what the rest of their traffic looks like, but I would not be surprised if they were using bots of their own.

    Like you said, they can make some money selling your information but they can also control the narrative how they choose.