PINBook Final Conference I September 15-16, 2020 I NOVA University Lisbon https://dedalusjmmr.net/pinbook/

1. Instagram's fight against
bots but they won't go away
Janna Joceli Omena
Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies (CIM), University of Warwick
iNOVA Media Lab - ICNOVA ˚ Public Data Lab ˚
PINBook Final Conference I September 15-16, 2020 I NOVA University Lisbon

2. Instagram's fight against
bots but they won't go away
PINBook Final Conference I September 15-16, 2020 I NOVA University Lisbon
Research diary 2021-present
the qualitative fronts of digital methods
DM + Autoethnography + Ethnography
1. What are the practical measures taken by Instagram to
prevent the existence of automation?
2. How the platform itself allows different sorts of
automation?
3. Where can we find this information when reading
Instagram Graph API documentation?
4. How do instabots continue to exist as active participants
on the platform?
Janna Joceli Omena˚

3. Instagram's fight against
bots but they won't go away
PINBook Final Conference I September 15-16, 2020 I NOVA University Lisbon
Research diary 2021-present
the qualitative fronts of digital methods
DM + Autoethnography + Ethnography
1. What are the practical measures taken by Instagram to
prevent the existence of automation?
2. How the platform itself allows different sorts of
automation?
3. Where can we find this information when reading
Instagram Graph API documentation?
4. How do instabots continue to exist as active participants
on the platform?
Janna Joceli Omena˚

4. Instagram's fight against
bots but they won't go away
PINBook Final Conference I September 15-16, 2020 I NOVA University Lisbon
PART 1 Insta’s fight against bots
simple-response tests (click) I challenge-response test (captcha) I
video-response test I logging out an account I temporarily blocking an accounts
PART 2 Bots won´t go away
Automation marketplace I #blacklivematters bots I capturing bolsobots in
action I comment if you support bolsonaro! I follow a bolsonarista politician! I
follow a bolsobot account! I botted accounts respond Instagram moderation
Janna Joceli Omena˚

5. Understanding Instagram bots
> Automation services
> what do they do?
> How do they look like?
> How can we detect them?
Bot detection techniques
Bots agency
Bots coordinated strategies
Reflecting on the consequences and
impacts of bots

6. PART 1 From Insta’s fight against bots
simple-response tests (click) I challenge-response test (captcha) I video-response test I logging out an account I temporarily blocking an accounts
How does Instagram
fight automated
activities?

7. PART 1 From Insta’s fight against bots
simple-response tests (click) I challenge-response test (captcha) I video-response test I logging out an account I temporarily blocking an accounts
My Instagram personal and
research accounts cookies
Trying, testing and training
Instagram rate limits

8. Tell us if you think
we made a mistake.
How Instagram prevents unusual activity
from ones account?

9. Simple response test
Forever clicking on tell us !

10. Confirm it’s you
to login.
How Instagram prevents unusual activity
from ones account?

11. Confirm it’s you
inserting the code
send to your mobile
phone.
How Instagram prevents unusual activity
from ones account?

12. Challenge-response test
Captcha

13. 21 october 2021 I maria_do_bairro00
Getting blocked by Captcha

14. Getting blocked by Captcha
21 october 2021 I maria_do_bairro00

15. June 2022

16. Getting blocked by Captcha 21 october 2021 I maria_do_bairro00
1) 2)
3)

17. Take
a video selfie.
How Instagram prevents unusual activity
from ones account?

18. Video-response test
Video Selfie

19. After @djaydjay2021 has been rate limited by Instagram a few times….

20. @djaydjay2021 was asked to
take a video self to prove she
is a real person!

21. Screenshot: 31 August 2021
Screenshot: 11 August 2021

22. Started collecting data in the third week of July
1st requirement: 11 August 2021
2nd: 30 August
3rd: 31 August
4th: 1 September
5th: 3 September
6th: 5 September
7th: 6 September
(ADD updates - ver imagens no meu FB messenger)
(dia 9 de setembro, mudei o cookie no phantambustre, da minha conta pessoal para maria do bairro, diminuiu de duas chamadas por dias, cada uma com
200 contas, para uma chamada por dia)
A partir do final de setembro passei a utilizar a minha conta pessoal
Screenshot: 31 August 2021

23. Screenshot: 1 September 2021

28. To be
logged out.
How Instagram prevents unusual activity
from ones account?

29. Logging out an account
Screenshot: 3 September 2021

30. Screen captures taken on 7 September 2021

31. Screen captures taken on 7 September 2021

32. June 2022

33. Your account has been
temporarily blocked.
How Instagram prevents unusual activity
from ones account?

34. Blocking an account
for one day (or more)

35. https://twitter.com/JannaJoceli/status/1141290480392658945
https://twitter.com/JannaJoceli/status/1150124727945576448
From temporarily blocking and
account to taking bots content!

36. 1) 2) 3)
Instagram takes
down botted
accounts content!

37. PART 2 Bots won´t go away
Automation marketplace I #blacklivematters bots I capturing bolsobots in action
Bots
Won´t
go away

38. The automation marketplace has moved from a growing market to a professional market.
It is a market that keeps updated with platform data policy and rate limits, therefore, one that offers multiple
solutions to bypass these policies.

39. PART 2 Bots won´t go away
Automation marketplace I #blacklivematters bots I capturing bolsobots in action
Search for
#blacklivesmatter and
qualitatively read the top
recommended posts
Screen capture: September 2022

40. https://phantombuster.com/blog/guides/how-to-auto-comment-and-auto-like-with-ph
antombuster-VB6uGzSgAND96WfbNKPUc?utm_source=sendinblue&utm_campaig
n=124%20-%20Instagram%20Flow&utm_medium=email
#blacklivematters bots

42. PART 2 Bots won´t go away
Automation marketplace I #blacklivematters bots I capturing bolsobots in action
Follow the hashtag
#bolsonaropresidente
To receive and document
Instagram recommendations
Screen capture: September 2022

43. Bolsobots
Mainstream bolsobots I Discreet bolsobots I

44. Bots follow bots!
Commenters bolsobots
Bolsobots coordinated strategies:
call to action

45. Bolsobots coordinated strategies:
Comment with 󰎙 if you will vote for Bolsonaro!
Instagram account: @patriotasb

46. Node size: reply count
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J
RlQxxggJa92d40DOfNH4F93rto-9qw4MY1
SVB1p3XU/edit?usp=sharing

47. 9,024 commenters image profiles

49. Bolsobots coordinated strategies:
call to action
Bolsobots follow
bolsonarista politicians!
Commenters bolsobots

50. Bolsobots coordinated strategies:
Follow a @PabloMuribeca!
Instagram account: @brasilacimabr
Mainstream bolsobots I post suggested to followers of #bolsonaropresidente I
screenshot taken on 15 August 2021 I post published on 14 August 2021
@brasilacimabr says “Pablo is a
bolsonarista city councilman who has
done an exceptional work of inspection
and denunciation. I need 5 thousand
patriots to follow his profile. HE IS
NEEDING OUR HELP!
Follow @PabloMuribeca 󰎙

51. 1.Mainstream bolsobot: I need 5 thousand
patriots to follow @PabloMuribeca
2.The target account before the action of bolsobots:
@PabloMuribeca has 9,847 followers
3.15 hours after the call for action
@PabloMuribeca has 10,1K followers

52. screenshot taken on 16 September 2021

53. 201 commenters image
profiles of 9,158 comments
Comment replies by @brasilacimabr

54. screenshot taken on 23 August 2021 I post published on 12 August 2021

55. screenshot taken on 26 August 2021 I post published on 25 August 2021

56. Bolsobots coordinated strategies:
Follow a @gabinetedojair
Instagram account: @gabinetedojair
Mainstream bolsobot I screenshot taken on 12 August 2021 I
post published on 12 August 2021
@gabinetedojair says “Do you authorise
president Bolsonaro to act on
September 7th? If yes, like this post and
follow @gabinetedojair”

57. 1,611 commenters image
profiles of 9,360 comments

59. Bolsobots agency
Response for taking
down a account.
“Bora lá robozada!”

60. Bolsobots coordinated strategies:
Follow a @lacombeopressor
Instagram account: @patriotasb
Mainstream bolsobot I screenshot taken on 12 October 2021 I
post published on 12 October 2021
@patriotasb says
“Twitter has censored the
page
@lacombeopressor.
Let’s show he is not
alone! Follow
@lacombeopressor”

61. screenshot taken on 12 October 2021 screenshot taken on 11 June 2022

63. Instagram's fight against
bots but they won't go away
PINBook Final Conference I September 15-16, 2020 I NOVA University Lisbon
PART 1 Insta’s fight against bots
simple-response tests (click) I challenge-response test (captcha) I
video-response test I logging out an account I temporarily blocking an accounts
PART 2 Bots won´t go away
Automation marketplace I #blacklivematters bots I capturing bolsobots in
action I comment if you support bolsonaro! I follow a bolsonarista politician! I
follow a bolsobot account! I botted accounts respond Instagram moderation
Janna Joceli Omena˚

64. Instagram's fight against
bots but they won't go away
PINBook Final Conference I September 15-16, 2020 I NOVA University Lisbon
Research diary 2021-present
the qualitative fronts of digital methods
DM + Autoethnography + Ethnography
1. What are the practical measures taken by Instagram to
prevent the existence of automation?
2. How the platform itself allows different sorts of
automation?
3. Where can we find this information when reading
Instagram Graph API documentation?
4. How do instabots continue to exist as active participants
on the platform?
Janna Joceli Omena˚

65. Obrigada :)