My Russian Bot

I don’t spend much time on Facebook: 1) Boomers tend to worry about privacy and 2) my creds are weak—no kids, no grandkids, no creds.

Furthermore, my FB adventure in 2014-15 (see previous post) convinced me the thing worked for Zuck, but didn’t do jack for a woman producing local history.

Last year, I friended a woman with the same name as one who had been in the convent with my sister. Nonetheless, earlier this year, “she” posted a picture of a Norman Rockwell-ish 50s family in church that out-Cleavered the Cleavers: the mom and little girl in hats and white gloves, the dad and boy in suits. The tagline said something about freedom of religion. Next, “she” posted this graphic: Anybody who supports Planned Parenthood and opposes the NRA is a hypocrite.”

I had been getting on Facebook more of late since all the talk of Russian trolls—wanted to see if I could spot one. So after the PP/NRA post I wrote her, “Are U a real person or a Russian ‘bot? In any case, Nyet! If we Americans don’t wake up, cut out the polarizing dictums, posts & thinking we are going to lose the few freedoms we have.” She turned out to be another woman—than had been in the convent with my sister—altogether.

Of course, any critical eye can see that polarization is just what Zuck profits from!