(1/14) 🧵 HOW TO TELL IF YOU ARE TALKING TO A BOT ONLINE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE

Bots are getting harder to detect. But researchers, journalists and cybersecurity experts have identified reliable patterns. This thread covers general detection methods, then builds to the specific tactics used by far-right, MAGA and ultra-nationalist bot networks. 👇 (2/14) THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED

The old “bot vs. human” binary no longer applies. The landscape now includes humans, good bots, bad bots, declared AI agents, undeclared AI agents, and hybrid operations blending automation with human interaction. AI-driven traffic quadrupled in the first eight months of 2025 alone. No single test is definitive. Use several together.

X has introduced a 👎 dislike/downvote button on replies.

That means important updates—like those from Ukrainian charities—can now be pushed down before most people ever see them.

If you want their work to stay visible, do this 👇🧵 1/ Don’t leave critical info buried in replies
If you see an important update:

→ Quote-repost it with context
→ Turn it into a standalone post
→ Link back to the original

Why: standalone posts aren’t limited by reply visibility