[phenom]

FB does not need do that shady stuff. Here some facts.

[1] Bot registration on FB is really easy. If you try register 100 fake users in direct way you need to deal with javascript and web forms with strange ids, cookies and so on in your script. But if you enter fb.com without enabled javascript, they ask you change browser or use mobile version, which is not require* js at all.

[2] You can register number of accounts from one ip without CAPTCHA

[3] Only one "difficulty" is to find batch of emails, it is not that big issue since we have services like mailinator.com.

So 15 -25 loc script on python do all your job. It is not required use any tools like selenium or special skills , only basic understanding how http get/post works.

Why fb doing all this super easy bot registration stuff? I think we all know why.

Edit: spelling. Sorry non native English speaker here

[woodchuck64]

You seem knowledgeable. What is the main purpose of bots on facebook?

The article implies they could be used by facebook or competitors to burn up ad revenue, but this approach would just kill the golden pay-per-click goose.

[phenom]

I think reasons is pretty strait forward:

[1] You can win a bunch of contests, competitions like those who have lot of likes can win iphone or other tech.

[2] You can sell likes.. just google and you will see, there are alot of places where you can buy it.

[3] Manipulation of public opinion.

Edit:

From FB side:

[1] they still have growth of users

[2] more bots == more clicks, more likes more FB value "on paper", more revenue

[3] and when they stabilize their market value they can easily kill those bots, just require them activation by phone.

vk.com Russian social network, had same issues, but they enabled phone activation for averybody and its not that easy to buy a lot of phone numbers in Russia, but some hackers just pay to vk.com admins...

Edit2: spelling

[woodchuck64]

Thank you for that. This is the real story here, IMO.