Beware: Bad bots are responding to your mouse clicks

Laptops are useful, but bring with them privacy and security concerns. — Photo: © Tim Sandle.

Almost 50 percent of internet traffic comes from non-human sources, and so-called bad bots now comprise nearly one-third of all traffic. Social media bots in particular continue to dominate online, with a shocking 65 percent of these deemed to be malicious.

The AI prompt management tool AIPRM has provided Digital Journal with tips on how to detect a social media bot. Christoph C. Cemper, founder of AIPRM also provides expert advice on the potential scams that they may utilise.

Bots are often accompanied by a number of specific characteristics, and knowing these can make it easier to identify one. These are some of the key traits you may notice:

Incomplete or Unnatural Profiles: Bots typically have very generic or random usernames, low-quality images or stock photos from the web, and incomplete profiles.

Poor Language or Grammar: You will often find that many bot accounts use awkward language and have many grammatical and syntax errors, as well as poor translations.

Suspicious Activity: You may find that bots regularly respond instantly to messages, or post on social media at uncommon hours, which can signify automation, as well as no ‘typing’ indicator appearing, which is a key sign as bots do not need to type, they simply send.

Suspicious Posting and Engagement Rates: Bots tend to post excessively in short periods, which tends to be uncommon in human accounts. Additionally, bot accounts often exhibit unnatural engagement rates, which may be low due to some of their followers also being bots or inactive accounts.

Suspicious and Repetitive Content: Malicious bots tend to post the same or similar content across multiple accounts or platforms, exhibiting repetitive tendencies, unnatural to that of a human account.

Ethical Concerns and Threats Posed by Social Media Bots

As bots and the technology behind them continues to develop, many questions arise around privacy issues and safety. Privacy is a key issue around malicious bots, as they have the ability to collect large amounts of data, of which little is known on how this is stored and utilised.

Bots are known to spread misinformation and harmful content, which is why some regions are developing ways to govern bot usage, especially where they can influence public opinion. However, there are concerns and complications around this now more than ever, since Meta has abandoned the use of fact checking on its platforms, which is bound to have implications for regulating bots and the disinformation they spread.

Malicious bots can also be utilised to increase phishing attacks and spam.
For instance, many phishing attacks rely on the scammer gaining the victim’s trust to some degree, a fake social media account and engagement can aid in convincing victims that the scammer is trustworthy.

How to protect yourself against malicious bots

Be cautious: Exercise caution, especially around unexpected and unwanted messages or posts that seem too good, or bad, to be true.

Be sure to report and block: If you do come across a social media bot, be sure to report it to the platform, and block the account to prevent future interactions or fake posts on your feed.

Use security features: Social media platforms normally offer security features, in place to protect you as a user. Be sure to enable two-factor authentication, and take time to limit who can send you direct messages, to prevent unknown and potentially fake accounts messaging you. Review your security settings regularly to ensure this remains in place.

Christoph C. Cemper, founder of AIPRM explains to Digital Journal: “Social media bots remain prevalent across many platforms, so staying vigilant is key, not only in preventing the spread of misinformation and harmful content, but also in avoiding scams. As mentioned, bots can help in creating phishing scams by gaining user’s trust and exploiting it for scammers. These scams can have serious implications for the victim, some of which include financial loss, identity theft, and the spread of malware.”

He adds: “Unfortunately, this is not the only security threat posed by bots. They can also damage brand reputations, especially for brands and businesses with popular social media profiles and high engagement rates. By associating a brand with fraudulent and unethical practices, bots can tarnish a brand’s reputation and reduce consumer loyalty. For example, they may share deals with fraudulent links with the intention of scamming consumers, which could ultimately undermine confidence in an otherwise trusted and respected brand.”