[Fediverse] Replying to every post with a hashtag

[techmagus]

Hi,

Is there a setting that I can tell the bot in the fediverse to not reply to every single post of mine with a hashtag? Initially, I thought it will only reply if we include the [[text_here]] format. However, after a few minutes since I followed the bot, it started to reply to all my old and new posts with hashtags.

I unfollowed the both, and when I tried it today, it still is replying to posts with hashtags. I don't want to mute or block the bot, I'm hoping there is a setting to make it to only reply when I include [[text_here]] format.

Thank you!

[flancian]

Hi @techmagus, thank you for filing this! Default and opt-in behaviors of Agora Bot are still very much a work in progress, and your feedback helps shape the project.

First of all: apologies for the bot breaking your expectations and taking time to react to your preferences. In particular, the bot should really react more quickly to unfollows; currently it only updates the followers list when it starts, and by default it restarts every 1h only. Did you see reactions from the bot beyond 1h after you unfollowed it? If so, there is definitely buggy behaviour there which I need to take a look at.

Second of all: you are actually at least the second user who reports being surprised by it reacting to hashtags by default. Currently this is opt out behaviour, meaning that if you post [[opt out]] the bot should react and stop reacting to hashtags (this is not very well documented). Do you think this opt out behaviour makes sense or would you prefer if the hashtag responses were opt in instead?

Thanks again and have a great weekend!

[techmagus]

@flancian Thank you for the reply and the information!

Yep, the bot was still replying hours after unfollowing. I think it was almost 18 hours already before I did a:

1. block
2. unblock

Which forced the bot to unfollow.

And yes, I think the hashtag reply should be opt-in. Although, now that I think about it, it's a good thing to remind the user and introduce the user to how the bot works.

Hmm… I think something like this is a good compromise:

• The bot will reply to hashtags for the first hour only.
• The bot sends a DM/PM to the user with information and instructions.
  • Like informing the user that the hashtag replies will stop after 1 hour
  • That the default would be it will only react to [[keyword]] format
  • And if the user wants to reactivate hashtag reactions, they have to send [[hashtag optin]] (or something).

It should, at least, give the user an overview of how the bot works, what it does, and commands it accepts from the user. While at the same time, it kind of “markets” itself to the public.

Oh, maybe the replies of the bot can be more informative, or like a person? Something like:

• Intro to replies: “I search the keywords/hashtags from your post and these are what we have in the free knowledgebase.” Then a list of URLs in bulleted format (or just asterisks).
• Closing: some random facts, quote, tip about the Agora, or random information about Agora and why a user should use it.

The current one is fine, though that's because I already have an idea what Agora is about (though not the entirety). Though, from the perspective of other users, the plain links might look like a ‘spam’ for them.

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Lastly, again, thank you very much. I can make the bot to follow me once more, then I can send the opt out command.

Cheers, Shalom!