MM Rahmatullah: In the age of social media, users often come across news and information that seem hard to believe, yet spread so widely that they start to feel true. Behind many such fake news and rumors is a force known as a “bot army.”The term “bot” comes from “robot.” It refers to a computer program or software that mimics human behavior on social media platforms—posting, commenting, and sharing. But there’s no person behind them, only code and algorithms. When thousands or even millions of these bots are deployed together for a specific purpose, they form a bot army.When a rumor is planned to be spread, bot armies are used to make it appear credible. For example, if a false claim is created—say, that a politician said something they didn’t, or that a disease can be cured with leaf juice alone—bots generate thousands of shares, likes, comments, and retweets to push it into public view. The bots like, comment on, and share each other’s posts to create the impression that the news is popular and widely believed. Seeing thousands of interactions, real users often assume the information is true.This tactic is called “astroturfing.” Harvard University professor Gary King describes it as a strategy where false information is spread as if it were public opinion, but is actually driven by automated accounts. According to him, this makes it easier to influence public opinion because people think those around them share the same view.Bot armies typically operate in stages: first, the rumor is created; then bots spread it; and finally, real users believe it and share it further. Gradually, the rumor becomes accepted as social “fact.”Samuel Woods, researcher at Oxford University’s Computational Propaganda Project, says the danger of bot armies is that they don’t just spread rumors—they shape public mindset. He notes they are a powerful tool for political propaganda.Experts say many bot accounts are designed to look like real people, complete with profile photos, posts, and personal details, making it hard for users to tell them apart from genuine accounts.A large bot army was reportedly active during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Research by the Oxford Internet Institute found that a significant portion of political posts on Facebook and Twitter at the time were created or amplified by bots. The same pattern is seen in developing countries like Bangladesh, where bot armies are used to promote or attack political parties, spread rumors, and confuse voters for partisan gain.Bot armies also target social issues, including anti-vaccine campaigns, religious hatred, and false health information. Imran Ahmed, researcher at the UK’s Centre for Countering Digital Hate, says, “Fake information has become a business. Bot armies are hired to mislead people deliberately.”Tech companies have responded by forming teams to detect bots and removing suspicious accounts. But the problem persists, as bots become more human-like with advances in technology.Experts stress that public awareness is the strongest defense. Users are urged to verify news before sharing, check if it appears in credible media, and be cautious of posts designed to trigger fear or anger—since emotional manipulation is a key tactic for spreading rumors.Stopping bot-driven misinformation depends not only on technology but also on responsible user behavior. If people pause before sharing unverified content, bot armies will find it much harder to spread rumors.