PODCAST:The Documentary Podcast
TITLE:Trending: Serbia’s real life ‘bots’
DATE:2024-02-07 00:00:00
URL:
MODEL:gpt-4-gizmo
This episode of the Documentary Podcast from the BBC World Service, titled "Trending Serbia’s Real-Life ‘Bots’," delves into the political landscape of Serbia and the role of social media manipulation in sustaining the power of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), led by President Aleksandar Vučić. The narrative follows Jovana Brević, a woman from the mountain town of Serda Lita, who unveils her involvement in a covert operation as an online "bot" for the SNS. Initially employed as a cleaner at a government-linked electricity company, Jovana was later coerced into promoting the SNS and disparaging its opponents on social media platforms.
Jovana's testimony sheds light on a wider, orchestrated campaign by the SNS to dominate Serbian social media discourse through a network of real people, dubbed "bots," who disseminate pro-government content and engage in character assassinations against critics. This operation is facilitated through private messaging apps like Viber, where instructions and content are distributed to the "bots" for posting. Jovana's account is supported by a leaked spreadsheet containing over 14,000 alleged "bot" accounts, prompting investigations into the scale and impact of these activities on Serbian democracy.
The documentary explores the broader implications of the SNS's tactics, highlighting concerns over diminishing civil liberties, media control, and the blurring of state and party lines under Vučić's rule. Critics argue that these methods not only undermine democratic processes but also deepen societal divisions, with individuals coerced into participation through threats to their livelihoods and personal relationships.
The episode raises critical questions about the ethical boundaries of political engagement on social media and the resilience of democratic institutions in the face of concerted efforts to manipulate public opinion. It underscores the challenges faced by individuals like Jovana, who grapple with the moral dilemmas of their involvement, and the broader societal impact of political parties leveraging social media to entrench their power.
