The Disinformation Game, a unique simulation of how fast misinformation can travel. Fascinating really, the power one can obtain through the use of some deliberate ambiguity, catchy headlines or a funny meme, and an overall illusion of credibility. While playing, it appeared to me as if the content I'd been posting and germinating was ultimately irrelevant, so long as it utilized emotional language and provoked a response from a growing audience. The more I'd abandoned any sense of ethics or morality, the more my following grew. Initially, it was admittedly difficult for me to adopt such a rationale. However, once I became, as I’d previously jotted down whilst playing, “an Asshole” I found much-much-more success.
By the end of the game, I'd amassed a formidable 7,358 followers, though I'm sure had I gone back and run through the simulation again that number would double. What was truly terrifying, in the grand scheme of things, is how quickly I'd risen to relevancy once I began utilizing bots to spread my message. Really does shed a light on the horrifying reality we now find ourselves immersed in this 21st century. To take it one step further, it’s not difficult to fathom how a team of such motivated individuals, utilizing such bots, can affect real and significant change.