Motivation & Framing

Manipulation at scale is evolving: it’s no longer just about ads and bots — it’s about social proof via in-segment influencers running covert paid campaigns. That’s where the bridge lies between old persuasion playbooks and modern influence operations.

In this talk, we explore how influence markets and buzzer networks repurpose trusted voices, turning familiar social cues into tools for narrative control. By applying heuristics from public research, we examine how influence infrastructure was redeployed in South Africa’s 2024 election, how foreign influence models are adapting, and what remains hidden — the redacted terrain of attribution. We propose ethics-aware paths forward rather than grand claims.

Talk Structure & Flow

1. Persuasion via Social Proof as the Real Bridge

• We begin by deconstructing classic persuasion: urgency, scarcity, repeat testimonials. But the key modern twist is social proof within an audience segment — i.e. trusted voices (influencers) endorsing or amplifying narratives covertly.
• The metaphorical bridge is not literal lineage from old infomercials, but structural similarity: in both cases, persuasion rides on perceived authenticity and endorsement from “trusted” figures.
• This frames the rest of the talk: how influence ops hijack social proof by embedding paid campaigns in existing social networks.

2. Case Study: Repurposed Influencer Infrastructure

• Based on public reporting, we trace how a community previously associated with one ideological niche was repurposed to amplify a different political brand.
• Key detected signals:
    - Influencers (within niche) shifting content or hashtag alignment overnight
    - Similar posting patterns, shared visuals, synchronized amplification
    - Correlation of engagement spikes with campaign pushes
• What stays unknown: financial links, undisclosed coordination, real identities.

3. Case Study: Covert Influence Markets

• We dissect how influence is packaged as a service: small influencers, buzzer farms, micro-amplifiers, paid campaigns disguised as organic endorsements.

5. Closing the Gap — Attribution Strategy & Ethics

Even when you detect coordination via influencers, three questions often remain:
a) Who pays for sustained campaign waves?
b) Who directs the narrative strategy behind the scenes?
c) How can attribution be validated within ethical and privacy boundaries?

Key Takeaways

1. Social proof via in-segment influencers is the actual bridge
   Recognize how covert paid campaigns disguise themselves within trusted networks.

2. Concrete, real-world case insights
   Understanding how influencer repurposing and covert campaigns manifest across actual data.

3. Transparency on what’s still unknown
   Clear map of unknowns: funding, coordination, identity — and why many remain opaque.