The patriotic bot brigade
Nov. 24th, 2025 10:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asthfghl posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
talkpoliticsElon Musk’s new X policy unwittingly exposes MAGA influencers as foreign trolls
Some users were based in places like Nigeria, Eastern Europe, and India despite posting U.S.-focused right-wing content
It's hard not to laugh at how the modern internet keeps exposing the loudest "patriots" online. The moment X rolled out its new "About This Account" transparency feature, it became obvious that many of the accounts shouting about civil war in the US aren't even located in the US. They're posting from places like Nigeria, Russia, Bangladesh, Eastern Europe, basically anywhere with cheap internet and a financial incentive to manufacture outrage.
For years, Americans have believed their political divide was between liberals and conservatives, patriots vs "globalists". But this new feature showed something far more embarrassing: much of the online conflict wasn't between Americans at all, it was between Americans and foreign troll farms. Suddenly, every profile wrapped in American flags, Bible quotes, and AI-generated eagles came with a geolocation tag, and a staggering number weren't remotely close to the US.
( Read more... )
Some users were based in places like Nigeria, Eastern Europe, and India despite posting U.S.-focused right-wing content
It's hard not to laugh at how the modern internet keeps exposing the loudest "patriots" online. The moment X rolled out its new "About This Account" transparency feature, it became obvious that many of the accounts shouting about civil war in the US aren't even located in the US. They're posting from places like Nigeria, Russia, Bangladesh, Eastern Europe, basically anywhere with cheap internet and a financial incentive to manufacture outrage.
For years, Americans have believed their political divide was between liberals and conservatives, patriots vs "globalists". But this new feature showed something far more embarrassing: much of the online conflict wasn't between Americans at all, it was between Americans and foreign troll farms. Suddenly, every profile wrapped in American flags, Bible quotes, and AI-generated eagles came with a geolocation tag, and a staggering number weren't remotely close to the US.
( Read more... )
Friday offtopic: The Great Coffee vs. Tea Peace Talks of 2025
Nov. 21st, 2025 08:55 ammahnmut posting in talkpolitics
Happy Friday, everyone!
As we wrap up another week of debates, deep analysis, and the occasional keyboard-smashing moment, it's time for something far more important than politics: beverages!
This morning, scientists* announced the results of a groundbreaking study aiming to settle one of humanity's oldest divisions: Is coffee or tea the superior drink?
*Scientists, in this case, meaning a group of very tired grad students who realized their grant money ran out three months ago.
Key Findings:
Coffee drinkers reported higher alertness, increased productivity, and a 97% chance of starting a sentence with "Okay, but hear me out..."
Tea drinkers reported lower stress, better digestion, and a 97% chance of saying "I could stop anytime I want" while brewing their fifth cup.
Both groups agreed unanimously that decaf doesn't count and that anyone who microwaves water "should be monitored".
Unexpected Discovery:
During the "peace talks", both factions bonded deeply over their shared distrust of people who say they "don't like any hot drinks". Negotiations immediately shifted from beverage supremacy to forming a unified front against these monsters.
Conclusion:
After hours of heated debate (and increasingly shaky hands), the panel reached a historic agreement:
Both coffee and tea are valid, noble, necessary survival fluids, and anyone trying to rank them must first drink a glass of water and calm down.
So in the spirit of bipartisan beverage cooperation, grab your mug of choice, take a sip, and enjoy a peaceful Friday! You’ve probably earned it.
We're all gonna die, ain't we?
Nov. 19th, 2025 09:45 pmasthfghl posting in talkpolitics
Lately, there's growing alarm in expert circles that artificial intelligence, especially superintelligent AI, could pose an existential threat to humankind. Thinkers like Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, along with researchers like James Barrat, warn that if a "superintelligent" AI were ever built, one more intelligent than all of humanity combined, it might act in ways we cannot foresee. As Stuart Russell puts it: "We have absolutely no idea how it works, and we deploy it to hundreds of millions of people". The concern is that such an AI could gain control of communication networks, labs, even dangerous weapons, and because its "psychology" could be completely alien to ours, its goals might not include human flourishing.
Bill Gates has echoed similar worries more recently. Although, at first, he believes AI could bring tremendous benefits, he has joined guys like Elon Musk in warning that unchecked development might lead to serious risks. Gates argues for extreme caution, saying we must "not do anything stupid" as we march toward more powerful systems. These aren't just sci-fi fears: they come from some of the people building and funding AI.
( Read more... )