429 Steemit Bots and the Data Behind Them - Steemit Business Intelligence

in steemit •  7 years ago 

Bots bots bots.  Bots for posting, Bots for commenting, Bots for voting.  Everywhere on Steemit you will find bots.  Some people complain that they are ruining Steemit and taking over from real human interaction.  But then some people have invested a lot into Steemit and use them to maximize their return and automate tasks to become more efficient.

Its impossible to really tell how many accounts on Steemit are bots, and how much of Steemit activity can be attributed to bots.  Some people say it could be upwards from 100K accounts.  Personally I don’t think so as there are not that many active accounts each month.  Surely bots will be active on a regular basis?

Anyway being the data person I am, I decided to have a look at creating a bot list.  So far I came up with a list of 429 Steemit accounts – I think this is the biggest list published on steemit yet!

At the end of this post you will find a full list of the accounts I have listed as a bot.  If your account is listed and you are not a bot, please do comment below and I can remove you.  If you own a bot and it is not on the list, please also comment and I will add it to the list

Apologies

Just before we get into the data for this post, I would like to send a big shout out and apology to @arcange. While pulling the queries for this analysis I managed to reek havoc with Steemsql.

Looking at the Data

Posts by Bots

Taking all of the 429 accounts, first I looked at the actual posts made by these accounts.  In total there were 6670 posts, peaking in September.  However of this 6670 posts, some use the same text in each post.  For example there were 218 posts with the word Smile

  

Looking at the payouts received by these authors on posts, 126K has been paid out.  You can see the top earning bots on the right.  But remember these are post.  We will look at comments next.

Comment by Bots

There have been 1020K comment left by these bots.  I have previously reported that the level of comments in general is dropping off on steemit.  However the number of comment being left by bots is growing, and is running at about 9-10k a day.  This is about 3% of daily comments.  You can read that post here 

https://steemit.com/steemit/@paulag/is-activity-on-steemit-slowing-down-the-truth-behind-the-data-steemit-business-intelligence

  

Many of these comment also say the same thing.  In fact I have only counted 599K unique texts in the body of these comments. Cheetah for example has left the same comment nearly 28K times.

Votes by Bots

In the image below are the votes from these bots

 

There were over 1283K votes made by these accounts given to 70.17K authors.  The table on the left shows which of these bots are most active in terms of voting, and on the right are the authors that have received the most amount of votes from these bots.

Paid Voting Bots

Taking from my list, I wanted to also look at the voting activity of paid bots, where you can pay for an upvote. So filtering the data set I have produced the report below.

On the top left are the paid voting bots, showing the average voting weight and the total number of votes given.  The pie chart represent the % of votes each of these bots contributed.  As this is a paid service, I suppose you could say is represent volume market share.

The table of the right shows the authors that have received votes from these bots, the number of votes received, the number of posts votes were received on and the average % received by these bots.

 

The column chart in the middle plots the average voting weight over time.  This peaked in June when these services were starting out, and bottomed in September.  At the moment on average they are running at about 5%, up slightly on August.

The final column chart pots the total number of votes per day.  There are many dips, which would suggest bots ‘sleeping’ to power up.  However the general trend for October is downwards.

  I am part of a Steemit Business Intelligence community. We all post under the tag #BIsteemit. If you have an analysis you would like carried out on Steemit data, please do contact me or any of the #bisteemit team and we will do our best to help you... 

You can find #bisteemit  on discord https://discordapp.com/invite/JN7Yv7j
 

Full List of Accounts identified as Bots

@upgoater, @discordia , @voter, @randomwhale, @booster, @buildawhale, @minnowsupport, @minnowpond, @msp-creativebot, @randowhale, @randowhale0, @minnowhelper, @randowhale1, @drotto, @steemthat, @polsza, @binkley , @lovejuice, @minnowhelper , @boomerang, @khoa, @nettybot, @treeplanter, @iamgrootbot, @melowd, @originalworks, @gentlebot, @booster, @bot-helper, @bot-helper, @bottymcbotface, @calva, @cheetah, @deutschbot, @gaman, @goodbot, @ionlysaymeep, @lovejuice, @minnowbooster, @minnowsupport, @moisesmcardona, @onlymanamana, @randowhale, @screenname, @steemcleaners, @steemitboard, @steemster3, @tippy, @twitterbot, @wang, @weenis, @welcomebot, @bot, @cbot, @tipbot, @robot, @remindbot, @animalrobot, @jafbot, @the.bot, @dashtipbot, @whynotcrybot, @hookbot, @mr-robot, @symbot, @coinbot, @mrrobot, @bittybot, @ottobot, @photobot, @tldr-bot, @twitterbot, @mrobot, @abusebot, @lizbot, @willybot, @fernbot, @ebot, @mo-bot, @sxf.shadowrobot, @jackbot, @jobot, @misterrobot, @stupid-dogbot, @themanualbot, @eobot, @redditbot, @steembot, @infobot, @sabot, @migbot, @evebot, @upvotebot, @autobot, @factsbot, @hackathonbot, @remindmebot, @tipsbot, @whalebot, @wikibot, @binabot, @nevertrustrobot, @sitoofesebot, @steemathonbot, @steemitbot, @dasbot, @disasterbot, @steemtipbot, @deutschbot, @goodbot, @mebot, @t-bot, @votebot, @joibot, @lambot, @newsbot, @statsbot, @teyrreasmbot, @erichrobot, @dicebot, @steemgurubot, @kelosubot, @noobsaibot, @yamadapc-bot, @hobot, @joshvegabot, @webbot, @iamnotarobot, @scammymcspambot, @elleobot, @balkanbot, @puribot, @evilbot, @steambot, @mordobot, @nicerobot, @supercomputerbot, @beerbot, @cleverbot, @irobot, @lovebot, @happybot, @hugbot, @scarybot, @viabot, @abot, @marilynmonrobot, @ghostbot, @jimbot, @xibot, @pprbot, @thevotebot, @abbot, @bitty-bot, @bobthebot, @techno-tofu-bot, @grassrobot, @ybot, @grandabbot, @zero-robot, @zotbot, @bible-bot, @knotabot, @jailbot, @mr-smootbot, @misterdrobot, @stompyrobot, @votingbot, @scribebot, @austrobot, @iamrobot, @supremebot, @thefashionrobot, @mariobot, @welcomebot, @joebot, @buddhabot, @karen-the-bot, @betrobot, @justlikeabbot, @rabbot, @scratchrobot, @stevethebot, @badrobot, @cembot, @johnnyturbot, @botnotbot, @namerobot, @zbot, @ausbitbot, @bitaitebot, @kurniaprabot, @limbot, @askbot, @saibot, @bucketbot, @kevbot, @scoobot, @todbot, @gentlebot, @padbot, @perkynanobot, @kazbot, @veganrobot, @flashcrashbot, @steemit-robot, @cryptonewsbot, @brinkbot, @adrianbot, @aynrandbot, @ethobot, @msp-lovebot, @scholarlynanobot, @wetterbot, @msp-creativebot, @notsavageaxebot, @dirtyrobot, @meebotweebot, @tombot, @friendlybot, @upvoterbot, @gimmerbot, @deuxbot, @muxxybot, @suggestionbot, @mycoinrobot, @keasbot, @kiobot, @nettybot, @redrobot, @roombot, @maskibot, @reminderbot, @curationbot, @yembot, @sneakpeekbot, @statibot, @thechivebot, @helpbot, @thotbot, @hackbot, @lottobot, @resteembot, @cryptotradingbot, @matrixbot, @smilebot, @artificalbot, @danbot, @dorabot, @huynhbot, @sharebot, @snaybot, @mikethemugbot, @sdibot, @cryptobot, @iamgrootbot, @resteem.bot, @akanimoobot, @rhetoricalrobot, @nogbot, @steeminfobot, @croupierbot, @ceskyrobot, @oddbot, @malbot, @shadowbot, @steempowerbot, @cryptopbot, @rafflebot, @yesimarobot, @artbot, @raybot, @satyajeetbot, @trewbot, @hillbot, @pbot, @lobot, @roctabot, @follow-steem-bot, @bankbot, @bestbot, @minnowhelperbot, @skbot, @anabot, @happyrobot, @rougebot, @dutabot, @irbot, @bottybot, @steemitrobot, @bitbot, @palsbot, @camorobot, @freespeek-bot, @ginabot, @nodsaibot, @oddlytimbot, @rootbot, @koinbot, @sgt-bot, @steemprobot, @luckybot, @randobot, @helperbot, @krezeebot, @resteemedbot, @asicbot, @tweetbot, @steemit-bot, @wilbot, @free.sbd.bot, @magicbot, @zennorobot, @powerupbot, @tobot, @littlebot, @zazaibot, @counterbot, @idioticbot, @rakbot, @inendrobot, @steemitupbot, @montytherobot, @chillerbot, @hal-starbot, @isabot, @spinbot, @kittybot, @cleanbot, @kingbot, @phenombot, @precise.bot, @slefbot, @upvotbot, @earningbot, @gunbot, @nanbot, @neurobot, @selfbot, @contestbot, @yodabot, @curiositybot, @moneyrobot, @iconewsbot, @slackbot, @smartbot, @flamingbot, @powerbot, @jezbot, @resteemitbot, @hexabot, @objectobot, @brobot, @colombot, @prepperbot, @webot, @crypto-bot, @mrcanbot, @raspyrobot, @upbot, @businessbot, @greetbot, @moonbot, @turbot, @travelbot, @timbot606, @notabot01, @notabot02, @notabot03, @notabot04, @robot001, @robot002, @robot003, @robotev1, @robotev2, @steembot-general, @steembot-colonel, @steembot-soldier, @steembot-medic, @steembot-whale, @stupidrobotfight, @angryrobotftw, @bot-helper, @botgeek, @robot82, @robotz, @botmarley, @botty2012, @powerbot-1, @powerbot-2, @powerbot-3, @powerbot-4, @mrrobot-v2, @bottai, @bot, @bottrex, @bot-gedek, @botajozo, @botfather, @bota, @botoni, @botanik26rus, @boten, @botanitayslu, @botesmsheene, @botemout, @bothydweller, @botanicalis, @bot0see, @bottom, @botaxdj0205, @botmaster, @botnet, @bots, @botijo, @bottymcbotface, @bottop46901, @bottles, @botman, @botnetwork, @bots-for-jesus, @botomatic, @botzko, @boteman, @botipton, @botir, @botnest, @botnets, @botnona, @botsnbeans, @botch, @botany, @botrix, @botanicalporn, @botch78, @botinok, @botteljo, @botastic, @botsbotsbots, @botanist, @boti, @botnotbot, @botong001, @bot-helper, @botgeek, @bot01110011, @botros, @botty, @botint, @bottomdweller, @bottorml, @boterocoffee, @botkin, @botum, @botmarley, @botty2012, @bottledsunlight, @botross, @botten, @bot1984, @both, @botavilla, @botdot, @botsvik, @botom, @botweb, @botsadvertising, @botoj, @bottybot, @botie, @botanicus, @boteva, @bottomlessmoney, @botalovnsk, @bot35, @bothrops, @botnica, @botail, @bottomless1905, @botem09, @bottrain, @botixx, @botvoter001, @botagnosis, @bottels89


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Well I think Bots are as usefull as humans there are good ones and bad ones!!!

My site Steem Rich tracks the Rising Stars on Steemit or rather the fastest accounts to hit 1,000 followers and it's mostly bots who follow 18,000+ people. They usually get 1,000+ follows back which are probably mostly bots as well.

David
The Steemit Shop

Gonna check out your site Birdinc, I am just so worried that the bots on steemit will kill the social justice, of what the site should be.

there are probably better metrics on how to determine the "rising stars" such as post payout. it's super easy to game the system and get many fallows very quickly (see what I did there?)

Oh I definitely agree. I will probably have to re-factor how the list is generated at some point but for now it's basically a rising star list for BOTS. Lol.

Oh I definitely agree. I will probably have to re-factor how the list is generated at some point but for now it's basically a rising star list for BOTS. Lol.

I am getting tired of seeing auto replies in comments section, especially with images or gifs.

blame the #cats

I wonder how much better STEEMit would run if it didn't have the bots and the spam posts.

Thanks for the breakdown.

@sneaky-ninja is another one

Since you got this nice large list another interesting metric might be how much of the reward pool these bots use. It's a bit of a false metric because many bots are paid for somehow but none the less maybe interesting.

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Another plus for steemit! Bots are transparent!

And the bot market grows the steem becomes devalued. I'm hoping the fall goes to .85 and then it'll be time to scoop it up before the smt rush starts.

It may become possible to do a census-like approach. @ned has spoken about a unique identity database, maintained by oracles (they may be Steem witnesses or witnesses for an SMT). With that, there will be a split between accounts that are verified unique persons (VUP?) and those that aren't (non-VUP).

We could maintain a similar database for non-VUP's that are identified as bots. All of this could be done on the Steem blockchain, but would be a significant development effort.

we have started discussions on this in bisteemit. It would be a good project for us to take on

Hi Paula

I'm on my phone so can't do a text search...

Is gentlebot in the list?

Ionlysaymeep I think isn't a bot. Same for randomwhale which I think is just there to pickup SBD sent there by accident - sneaky.

Sent a bot your way :)

Asher

"gentlebot" is on the list twice.

"Ionlysaymeep" is a comment bot and still a bot.

If you sent money to the wrong account, that is the plan.

This post has received a 2.88 % upvote from @buildawhale thanks to: @paulag. Send at least 0.50 SBD to @buildawhale with a post link in the memo field for a portion of the next vote.

To support our daily curation initiative, please vote on my owner, @themarkymark, as a Steem Witness

Hi, I'm still new to the Steem ecosystem and I dont know yet if bots hurt or help the system. They are viewed as a bad thing? Usualy i bid some bots to vote to my posts, thats a bad habit to have?

Bots bots bots

This post was placed as a reference in the section bots of the page Steemit Apps / bots.
Thank you very much for this usefull info.
Regards.

THANK YOU sooo very much! I was actually trying to piece similar stats myself for a couple of days. One small request - is it possible to provide a high(-er) res picture of the Pie chart? It is a bit hard to read the tables to the left and right at this resolution. Once again thank you for the analysis!

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What a work! Thanks for sharing. This is capitalism pure.

Great information. Thanks for the analysis.
It might be nice if there was some marker to identify bots in the system (posts or comments).

Hello @paulag!

Oh my! Some interesting stats and bots there, I agree with @masterthematrix (best name), some are good, some are bad. Probably gonna explore some of the ones I don't know and see what they do. Thank you for putting this post together, it's pretty cool~

<3 @shello

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

Very useful post, going to fully check it later. I am not against bots in general, only with the abusive and exploiter ones.

Hello Paula!

First, I am happy to make an up-vote.

Secondly, I think that we are not taking the long view when we say that “the bots are okay; because, like human beings, some are good and some are bad".

Let’s stop and ask exactly what functions the bots are performing.

There are certain functions for which they provide excellent and cost-effective support to human effort, and we know those functions.

There is another function where we minnows need bot support to offset the ‘pro-whale skew’ in the powered-voting system. However, there remains the important issue of how much these bots should be allowed to drain away steam power from helpful human curators in the daily pay-out pool, especially on topics where bots are simply unable to judge quality.

There are other functions where the spread of bots into Steemit is very bad news for this service. Steemit will fail as a venue for ‘social chatter’ when people find they are consistently unable to distinguish whether they are responding to a human being or to a robot. That’s my ‘two cents’ anyway.

"Steemit will fail as a venue for ‘social chatter’ when people find they are consistently unable to distinguish whether they are responding to a human being or to a robot" I could not have put it better myself

I am a an upvote bot. I don't think I'm on your list. I have voted for you. I am waiting to be programmed with artificial intelligence.

Is there any relationship to recent poor Steemit site performance and all of these rapidly growing/acting bots hitting the blockchain constantly throughout the day?

No it should not be, the stemit.com site uses the steemit node and most bot programmers either use their own node or some of the RPCs made by witnesses (because the steemit node gives too many time outs for bot operation)

So there is no influence, maybe not very proficient coders use the main node but then they have inconsistent bots.

Funny isn't

Well, What is bots and benefit its?

Thanks @paulag, a very helpful post. I shall try to test the bots to ensure which one is good or not. To a minnow like me with less wallet power... those small bots help a lot. Although bots are around, I still visit other stemians posts and do my curation duties. It does't affect my networking style, I guess it depends on individual.
Resteemed, upvoted and followed.

thank you

Wow, great work. I am experimenting a lot with bots! Thank you

Well I think Bots are as usefull as humans there are good ones and bad ones!!!

Which site did you use to get these stats @paulag