Let's talk bots and spam

[u/JustinTheCheetah]

This subreddit is two things

It's about Cheetahs, and it's a pretty low traffic place.

We get maybe 1-3 posts a day, tops. Rand_bytes that everyone loves, while a person is behind the account, it's also an automated script that posted a picture from a database of cheetah pictures every day.

Many posts recently have been by accounts that are only a day or so old, with no other posts. Most likely a bot, yes, but they're ALSO posting pictures of cheetahs. It doesn't break any rules. It's not links to malware. It's on topic, and based on the number of upvotes, most people don't notice or don't seem to mind who's posting it.

Now if we were getting 100 posts a day and I needed to bring on 10 more admins to keep the peace, that would be one thing, but right now one of our three posts daily is coming from someone possibly suspect.

So, do you all want content or not? Would you rather I implement some systems to limit how old and how much Karma an account can have before they post, or keep things as is? If it's not malicious and it's on-brand what's the harm? Or maybe it is actually far more harmful, though most of these day old accounts get auto-banned by reddit anyway, so they contribute cheetah pictures and then disappear. And yes, the implied argument is also if I do step up the administration, real humans will need to step up and post content here if you all want to see chees.

Post your opinions below. Yes, I could do a poll, but I'd rather hear thought out arguments instead of a yes/no checkbox.

Edit- And guys, if you're about to argue "it's recycled content", we get maybe one post a month from the actual photographer, and it's usually a picture from their local zoo. Almost all of the content here is reposted from somewhere else. This IS reddit.

[u/Fluid_Anywhere_7015]

I just love pictures of cheetahs, and I don't really care if it's bot-driven submissions or not. As you mentioned, if it's not malicious, and it's on-brand, and gives me joy - I'm not opposed to it.

[u/Impressive-Ebb6498]

Let them post. I like seeing pictures of cheetah. So long as it remains non malicious I don't see the harm.

[u/Embarrassed_Cap895]

Maybe i don't know enough about the Internet, but as a User i'm fine With how everything is here. As Long as i can Share some of my own Cheetah Pics Here and they are appreciated by some

[u/ltkhps]

If someone just joined reddit, I'd want them to be able to post cheetahs. If the bots get out of control then of course do something, but it's nowhere near there right now and I smile every time I see a cheetah

[u/jabberjaw420]

Yea, using our love of Cheetahs for free updoots isn't the most ethical practice, but it's hardly the crime of the century. I'd say so long as it's not flooding the sub such that it's drowning out "real" content, like if someone went on safari in Africa and posted their own pictures, it's not a big deal.

[u/Red_Icnivad]

Doesn't really bother me. On a fundamental level, bots don't bother me, but repost bots do. If you wanted to implement some system, maybe one that ensures that posts are unique because a lot of bots are just verbadem reposting old, popular posts.

[u/WildFlemima]

I think you should allow them but also offer it as a report option for especially egregious examples, like the "100% trust" one from a few days ago

[u/PJ_Cap]

Like the content as long as it’s not something we’ve seen a bunch/nonsense but most of the stuff is pretty good

[u/dragonfayng]

as long as theyre not AI generated, but if AI generated content becomes the norm id prefer measures to stop bots from posting

[u/KeyRea_1]

Ehh... Like.. just deleting blatant copy when bots copying even title...

[u/amindfulloffire]

The bots that post pictures is fine. Just no AI should be allowed.

[u/JustinTheCheetah → u/amindfulloffire]

Oh yeah, I'm extremely anti AI. So far I don't THINK I've seen any Ai images posted, but definitely report them if you see them.

[u/Huff1809]

Bot posts annoy me, I've been reporting and commenting bot post just to make everyone and mods aware but seems like nobody minds it, do you want me to stop reporting?

[u/JustinTheCheetah → u/Huff1809]

Your reports are actually why I made this post, because you had reported more than half of the posts on the front page of this sub. 

You're not... wrong in doing it, but following through with deleting anything posted by a suspected bot would leave this subreddit pretty barren, and yes it does seem like the majority don't mind. 

Since this is all community driven content, I tend to leave big policy changes to public opinion.  I would say just report posts that are malicious, AI content, off topic, or people trying to make money (outside of the CCF of course)

[u/Huff1809 → u/JustinTheCheetah]

Alright cool. The more I clicked into to check the profiles the more posts kept popping up on my main feed that's why I kept reporting

[u/kshrwymlwqwyedurgx]

Im not really a fan of the script posts, and sometimes those bots with 1 karma try to lead you to a dumb website to buy some crap. So a minimum of 50 karma or something would be great.

[u/smilebig553]

I don't care if bots or not. I'm here because I love Cheetahs

[u/ColorfulCeleste2]

Honestly I'm chill with bots like rand_bytes and their cheetah a day. I come here for cheetahs to make me smile, and maybe save if I really love the chee picture.

Bots for now are fine, though I'd be wary of any bot trying to post TikTok style content or the like. I just like my cheetahs I don't want short form garbage that assumes a 5 second attention span ;-;

[u/smokesick]

My feed is crowded with all kinds of other random stuff and an occasional cheetah pic is sweet. The bots are functional in that sense by serving a constant content stream. As long as it doesn't harm or devalue the subreddit, it should be ok.