OC - Fake Twitter Accounts Article

[coladin]

Coming from the person who does it most.

Careful to not add any internet slang at the end of your sentence otherwise Ice-Tray won't take you serious.

Oh Pierre, how droll. You don't take ownership of anything do you?

 

[DaveMatthew]

...even after the Colangelo debacle? You sure about that?

Yes.

Did all accountants stop committing fraud after Enron?

Stupid people will do stupid things even after other stupid people have been caught for doing those same stupid things.

 

[coladin]

My mistake. It was Engineer.

And to answer the question, because not everyone is a logical, reasonable actor. Lots of people do things that are stupid, and will continue to do things that are stupid, even if others have done them before. Eugene Melnyk has already proven that he's this type of person.

Why would he use the "showcase" weekend for his franchise, when 30,000+ fans would be going to a game, to say he might move the team?
Why would he decide to communicate the "hockey ops" plan in a poorly produced video, after saying that he wasn't involved in any of the hockey ops?
Why in today's climate, would he publicly tweet "we miss you" to Bill O'Reilly after O'Reilly had just been revealed to be a serial sexual assaulter?

None of those things made sense, but Melnyk did them anyway! So just because this wouldn't make sense, doesn't mean he didn't do it.

I see your point.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Coming from the person who does it most.

Careful to not add any internet slang at the end of your sentence otherwise Ice-Tray won't take you serious.

Now, now, I see that I’ve hurt your e-feelings. My apologies

 

[Micklebot]

Also spring boarding given you tend to have well thought out reasonings...

Personally I used 'more' sophisticated to describe the option juxtaposed against the unsophisticated option. Neither is particularly sophisticated in general.

Also, just curious to follow you train of thought. How would purposefully launching an unsophisticated bot campaign be clever and sophisticated from a team perspective. Is it the idea that if it fails the team could make the argument that they would 'never be that dumb'? I mean doesn't it more sense to launch a campaign that wouldn't be exposed? I mean all you would need to do is behave as though the various accounts could even be accused of being real people to avoid most suspicion.

Again, if the team launched this what exactly would be the goal? A handful of cute young girls with a serious love for EM and the team were going to go up against the angry group on social media and start changing minds? I just can't see a realistic outcome that would be beneficial for the team especially when weighed against the potential repercussions, and exponentially so if we are to consider that the deliberately created an amateur campaign hoping to deny everything if it went wrong.

I just don't see it. I would love to see a good explanation for this all though that doesn't have to resort to EM is cheap because he didn't sign EK therefore he wouldn't fund a proper campaign, he's an egotistical dick so he would do this despite all of the possible repercussions... etc...

If the team launched the bots, it was to influence public perception. They got caught, not because it they wanted to and was inevitable, but because the media looked into it during a period of heightened scrutiny. Had the team not kept the story in the spotlight by expelling the media from the charter flights, perhaps they don't look into it. A sophisticated campaign isn't needed to affect public perception, and while more sophistication might lead to them not getting caught, I doubt they expected anybody to be looking into it as it was pretty small scale, but in the event they do get caught, they just use the defense you've brought up.

All that, to be fair, this is a franchise that has gone to the lowest bidder more than once, not just in player personnel, and cut costs at pretty much every level from front office to ushers, so hiring a budget firm to enact the bot campaign, or heck, doing it in house isn't as implausible as you suggest imo, even if they weren't playing 3d chess knowing that it would give them plausible deniability should they get caught.

 

[Ice-Tray]

If the team launched the bots, it was to influence public perception. They got caught, not because it they wanted to and was inevitable, but because the media looked into it during a period of heightened scrutiny. Had the team not kept the story in the spotlight by expelling the media from the charter flights, perhaps they don't look into it. A sophisticated campaign isn't needed to affect public perception, and while more sophistication might lead to them not getting caught, I doubt they expected anybody to be looking into it as it was pretty small scale, but in the event they do get caught, they just use the defense you've brought up.

All that, to be fair, this is a franchise that has gone to the lowest bidder more than once, not just in player personnel, and cut costs at pretty much every level from front office to ushers, so hiring a budget firm to enact the bot campaign, or heck, doing it in house isn't as implausible as you suggest imo, even if they weren't playing 3d chess knowing that it would give them plausible deniability should they get caught.

The multiple accounts were posting the exact same posts. That kind of stuff was never going to stay under the radar long term I would think.

Anyways, I’m not saying it’s not possible, anything is, I just don’t see it as the most plausible explanation. Certainly not a position to be arguing as fact or what likely occurred.

It is my opinion, it is very clear that there are others. Thanks for responding.

 

[Pangu]

Its definitely the most likely explanation. Its nuts to think otherwise. The Senators clearly have the most motive and the most resources to expend on this sort of thing. The idea that some random people are running around buying bots for companies is far-fetched and so is the idea that this is some sort of false flag operation.

 

[Micklebot]

Its definitely the most likely explanation. Its nuts to think otherwise. The Senators clearly have the most motive and the most resources to expend on this sort of thing. The idea that some random people are running around buying bots for companies is far-fetched and so is the idea that this is some sort of false flag operation.

Are they confirmed as bots and not just burner accounts? Not that it matters much, but I can see a single or small group of people creating a few burner accounts to do this, though the very consistant messaging suggests a single entity imo.

 

[coladin]

Its definitely the most likely explanation. Its nuts to think otherwise. The Senators clearly have the most motive and the most resources to expend on this sort of thing. The idea that some random people are running around buying bots for companies is far-fetched and so is the idea that this is some sort of false flag operation.

Hmm. Motive. Who profits from the obvious and almost instant discovery of the bot accounts?

Hate knows no bounds (MelnykOut gang). And neither does stupidity(Sens management). So, take your pick!

 

[Micklebot]

Hmm. Motive. Who profits from the obvious and almost instant discovery of the bot accounts?

Hate knows no bounds (MelnykOut gang). And neither does stupidity(Sens management). So, take your pick!

I could even buy into somebody doing it as a joke.

Besides, I gave up on trying to figure out what's not plausible over the last 2 years, what once seemed far fetched has been standard fair lately.

 

[Sensung]

Hmm. Motive. Who profits from the obvious and almost instant discovery of the bot accounts?

Hate knows no bounds (MelnykOut gang). And neither does stupidity(Sens management). So, take your pick!

The group trying to buy the team is another obvious possibility.

 

[Heady Topper]

It clearly should have been “on” the air. The ‘I’ and ‘O’ sit side by side on the keyboard and sometimes I miss the mark.

I don’t always edit my posts, but when I’m looking to deliver a one-liner, as was the topic of the post you quoted but not the content of the post you quoted, I like to get my grammar correct. While I was clearly being cheeky, in my opinion it takes away from a one-liner.

I do like how you stuck to a single word response though, very little room for error!

It's not my fault you can't spell but then try to call out others who make a mistake

 

[Pangu]

Hmm. Motive. Who profits from the obvious and almost instant discovery of the bot accounts?

Hate knows no bounds (MelnykOut gang). And neither does stupidity(Sens management). So, take your pick!

I have no idea who profits from the discovery of bot accounts. Probably no one really. I think Melnyk is a rather evil figure, but I will not profit if he goes bankrupt. Perhaps there is an alternate ownership group in the wings, but if they got caught doing something like this - which has little value - they would probably significantly damage their opportunity to get the contract.

The Senators, on the other hand, have a half-billion dollar organization that's value is contingent on their reputation. That reputation sells tickets and literally makes a profit for them. Moreover, attacking folks that damage their reputation is something that they believe is in their interest - see the recent removal of journalists from this same organization.

The false flag allegations are, while plausible, far-fetched.

 

[Pangu]

More bots?
Additional Citizen-Attacking Twitter Bots Discovered

 

[BatherSeason]

Quite a few more popping up since Melnyk launched his Lebreton webiste this morning. He is so sloppy. Is he really that clueless?

Sorry forgot, it must be soneone that hates Melnyk or a Leafs fan.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

More bots?
Additional Citizen-Attacking Twitter Bots Discovered

Wow how human of you!

 

[Deku]

Wow how human of you!

I too enjoy partaking in the replenishing of my human body's energy through the consumption of nourishment.

 

[BonkTastic]

I too enjoy partaking in the replenishing of my human body's energy through the consumption of nourishment.

BONKTASTIC v5.22 REQUIRES HUMAN SUSTINENCE TO CONTINUE PERFORMING AT PEAK EFFICIENCY.

PLEASE SUPPLY TWO STANDARD UNITS OF WARM CANINES AND FRANCOPHONE POTATOES, WHICH WILL BE CONVERTED FROM CALORIC SUGARS INTO KINETIC ENERGY, A FUNCTION MY PROGRAMMING INDICATES HUMANS DO.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

and some more

 

[Spartachat]

and some more

Good looking young women just seem to like Melnyk. He is a rock star owner!

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Good looking young women just seem to like Melnyk. He is a rock star owner!

Good looking young women who always have a suffix at the end of their last name.

Is this part of some secret society?

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Even the lowest possible bidder for these bot things can't be that stupid...

This new round of fakeries has to be a joke.