Every now and again a flood of so-called comments arrives from Anonymous, usually about one particular post, often one that was written ages ago. The comments show absolutely no sign that the writers - (who/which are probably robots [and how long will it be before it will be considered as offensive to mention that difference as it is currently to mention that there is a difference between a woman and a transgender woman; rights for robots, AI can cry etc]) - have read a word of the piece in question.
These are typical of the genre:
“Everything is very open with a really clear description of the challenges. It was truly informative. Your website is very helpful. Thank you for sharing”
“Yeah bookmaking thios wasn't a speculative decision outstanding post!“
"I absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your posts to be just what I’m lookin for. Do you offer guest writers to write content for yourself? I wouldn’t mund creating a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write concerning here. Again, awesome web log!”
“What a information of un-ambiguity and preserveness of precious know-how about unpredicted emotions”
“Incredible points. Outstanding arguments. Keep up the good work”
There is some kind of scam going on here, obviously, but what is it? Can anyone explain (ideally not Mr Anonymous, thanks all the same).
The point is to get one's own social media profile linked through your blog. So for example, if you click on my name on any of the comments, you will find my Blogger profile; if you click on Aptronym's you will find his Twitter home page. A wider distribution of this information must make it less conspicuous to the engines that evaluate sources as fake or not.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, George, it has happened so suddenly and all the commenters are anonymous so when you click on them you don't get to anyone's Twitter page. I have been ill for 10 days and in my absence the commenting has only increased. I think I am being targetted (but I'm not paranoid at all, hem hem)
DeleteCan this be connected to the fact that for the last week I was denied access to your blog by my security system (Webroot)? ZMKC was flagged as dangerous to me & malicious. Then yesterday I was able to access your blog again.
ReplyDeleteSusan
I don't know, Susan. I've had the flu and while I've been away I think technical havoc has been taking place, certainly an increasing blizzard of anonymous comments on old posts. In the bleak state of mind that sometimes comes after flu, I begin to wonder if the world of the internet is not meant for me but only younger people and I should go back to the safe old world of scrolls and parchment
DeleteNo please, we very much appreciate your presence and endearing(and illuminating commentaries) from around the world. You've such a rich peripatetic life and it'd be a sore to see it dissipate within a private den.
DeleteYou may be a digital entity, or you may be someone - even if you are only digital, you are very kind
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