The hottest Astroturfing Substack posts right now

A coordinated spam network of at least 31 newly created Bluesky accounts posted and amplified identical T‑shirt ads.
The accounts all use female first/last name formats, follow users in large batches, and mostly rally around one low‑activity account that also promotes the same shirts.
They recycle just two plagiarized profile photos and run on an external host (myatproto.social), making them clearly inauthentic astroturfing rather than real users.

Inauthentic pro-Trump accounts used plagiarized photos and follow trains to gain followers
Accounts not only used stolen profile photos but also frequently tweeted stolen images
Follow trains were a popular growth hacking technique among these inauthentic accounts

A coordinated campaign with artificially generated faces denied the outcome of the 2020 election
The Twitter astroturf network involved 63 accounts, many using StyleGAN-generated profile photos
The illusion of community was created by the network following and retweeting one another on Twitter

Conservatives use tactics like astroturfing to boost their presence in media and entertainment.
Conservative figures, like Ben Shapiro, have a history of artificially inflating their popularity in media.
Conservatives aim to influence culture to support their political views by controlling media and entertainment.

Social media manipulation can be done by consultants working for major campaigns.
Astroturfing efforts involve creating artificial social media influence.
Tools like retweet automation software are used to amplify specific content on platforms like Twitter.

Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Groups are petitioning to repair McDonald's McFlurry machines due to their high failure rates and complicated repair process involving expensive services from the manufacturer.
iFixit and Public Knowledge are seeking an exemption from the DMCA to fix the software locks on the McFlurry devices, highlighting the challenges faced in accessing repair information due to digital restrictions.
Tesla and Rivian supporting an automotive right to repair campaign may signify a shift in industry attitudes, but caution is advised as MOUs lack clear rules and enforcement mechanisms compared to comprehensive legislation.