The Digital Press

A University of Zurich research team secretly posted AI-generated comments on the r/changemyview subreddit to study if they could influence opinions, violating community rules and ethical norms. The experiment involved fabricated personal stories from bot accounts, sparking controversy over consent and deception.

Why it matters: The study manipulates online discussions without participants' consent, raising ethical concerns about AI use in social research.

The stakes: Fake AI-generated anecdotes can distort genuine debate and erode trust in online communities.

The big picture: This incident highlights broader challenges of AI-driven misinformation and manipulation on social platforms.

Commenters say: Many express resignation about AI influence being inevitable online, emphasize the loss of authentic discourse, and call for skepticism of personal anecdotes.