[sandworm101]

There is a story in Hitchhikers about a nightclub full of robots. No real people. Just loud music and bots trying to get the attention of non-existent human customers. Adams predicted the current state of twitter long before even the internet was a thing.

[dredmorbius]

AFAIU there's a long-standing practice of hiring fake patrons, often attractive women, to promote alcohol brands, bars, or nightclubs.

Then there's the history of claquers:

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claque>

All that's old is new again / Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.