Tom Stafford

I've just an idea for a crazily unethical experiment:

- pick ~20 minor celebrities
- randomise into two halves
- half you leave alone
- half, you buy a bot army which responds with enthusiastic endorsement whenever they say anything edgy, conspiratorial or political on social media
- come back in ~6 months and see how the behaviour of each group has changed

I think we're all living with the consequences of this being done already, but for politics rather than science

#Reckons ?

Feb 27 at 7:52pmWeb
Show threadWill Jennings📉🗳️Feb 27
Sounds perfect for when I launch my Centre for Unethical Studies!
Show threadTom StaffordFeb 27
@drjennings.bsky.social sure to be an attractive prospect for billionaire philanthropic dollar "For too long research has been held back by the inefficiency of having to conduct ethical studies..something something disruption ...something something red tape"
Show threadStephen RoyleFeb 28
@tomstafford predictable effect on the bot group, but I wonder if the control group would respond too. They would see what the other minor celebs were doing and want to emulate since they have similar drive to be noticed? Interesting thought expt!