How Bots Are Destroying Real Connection on Social Media

In the age of digital communication, social media was supposed to bring us closer together. A place to connect with old friends, share our lives, and discover new perspectives. But today, many users are finding the experience increasingly hollow—and one of the biggest culprits is something most of us don’t even see: bots.

The Rise of the Bots

Bots are automated accounts programmed to act like real users. Some are relatively harmless, built to auto-post news articles or weather updates. But many are designed with more manipulative intentions. These bots don’t just fill timelines with noise—they weaponize content to provoke outrage, influence public opinion, and exploit human emotion for engagement.

And they’re everywhere.

Bot influence in political discourse, social justice movements, and viral news cycles. Their presence is subtle but powerful—and their impact is corrosive.

Rage Bait: The Engagement Trap

One of the most insidious tactics bots use is rage bait—posts designed specifically to make you angry. Whether it's a wildly offensive opinion, a controversial take, or a false claim presented as fact, the goal is the same: to provoke a visceral reaction.

And it works.

When people see something that enrages them, they comment. They share. They argue. In the process, they boost the post’s visibility and trick the algorithm into thinking it's "valuable" content. The result? More reach, more division, and less genuine connection.

The Cost of Fake Conversations

At first, the effects of bots can seem like just another part of online noise. But over time, they chip away at the foundation of real human interaction. People begin to mistrust each other. Civil discussions turn into shouting matches. Nuance is lost in a sea of algorithm-boosted conflict.

More dangerously, bots can blur the line between reality and manipulation. They inflate the popularity of certain ideas or accounts, creating a false sense of consensus. They swarm comment sections, making it hard to tell who’s real and who’s not. In short, they distort our collective sense of truth.

Reclaiming Our Digital Spaces

So, what can we do?

1. Pause Before You Engage: If something makes your blood boil, it might be designed to. Before you comment or share, check the source and think about the intent behind the post.

2. Support Authentic Voices: Follow and uplift creators, journalists, and communities that engage in honest, thoughtful discussion.

3. Report Suspicious Accounts: Platforms have tools to report bots—use them. And advocate for stronger moderation policies.

4. Curate Your Feed: Use tools to filter out low-quality engagement bait and prioritize content that adds value to your life.

   
   

We can’t control the algorithms, but we can control our attention. The more we resist the urge to feed the outrage machine, the less power these bots will have.

At its best, social media has the potential to foster understanding and connection. But that future depends on us choosing to engage with empathy—and not with rage.

Stitch Social seeks to connect humans with other humans. We recognize that the social media landscape has been bastardized by the presence of automated systems cosplaying as real people. By verifying our users, we seek to create a space for genuine human connection.

Sign up to be part of the Beta testing group and join a community of humans connecting with other humans.