Bots, Bias, and Influence

Digital conversations on social media are more than just human voices. Automated agents called Bots now weave themselves into our conversations and our collective beliefs. This book takes readers on an exploration of how Bots span simple automated scripts to complex agents that mirror, magnify and manipulate human behaviour online. Drawing on rich empirical data, social psychology theories and computational modelling, it traces how Bots operate, coordinate and exert influence through narrative construction, network embedding and psychological exploitation. From harmless announcer Bots to sophisticated networked Bots operating across global geographies, this book unpacks the taxonomy of digital agents that cohabit our online spaces. It offers an interdisciplinary approach for understanding the technical capabilities of Bots and their social consequences. It speaks to scholars and curious readers alike, arguing that Bots are not merely malicious actors but sociotechnical agents capable of both harm and good, whose impact depends on how we design, govern and coexist with them.