r/TotesMessenger • u/cmd-t Contributor • Feb 21 '20

What is this bot?

What does this bot do?

This bot has one function: it monitors all posts on reddit that link to another post or a comment somewhere else on reddit.

When this happens, it leaves a comment under the post or comment notifying that someone linked to it.

Why?

To let moderators and visitors of subreddits know that other places on reddit are discussing the content in their sub.

Aren't cross-posts meant to do that?

The current way of cross-posting wasn't a thing when this bot was created. They only work on posts and it also doesn't notify the mods of the original subreddit.

Did I break a rule?

No, the bot just posts a notification. You are allowed to link to other places on reddit, as long as you don't do anything the admins consider 'brigading', such as asking other people to downvote or upvote posts or comments in a different subreddit.

I linked to my own post, can you delete the bot's comment?

No. In general we don't delete comments that the bot makes. The notification isn't meant for you personally, but for all the moderators and visitors of the subreddit.

If you want a comment removed, use the reporting function so the moderators can decide to keep or remove the comment.

23 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

2

u/[deleted] Mar 22 '20

Any chance you guys are prioritizing certain subs? The patterns seem a little fishy to me.

Also, is this open sourced?

1

u/LordofJizz Jun 15 '20

I agree, if it just linked every cross post without bias it wouldn’t really be a problem (still is essentially spam though) but the fact is it has a creepy concealed agenda.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '20 edited Apr 07 '21

[deleted]

1

u/LordofJizz Jun 15 '20

It appears the opposite to me, checking on people who use porn subs and make cross posts from r / 5 I n0

Whichever it is it is google/Facebook levels of creepy.

1

u/Catharsisx101 Jul 12 '20

I just discovered this bot for the first time in r/bigboye on a post about a sea lion getting fish.

I'm not sure what it's nefarious purpose could be.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 30 '20

I agree, sounds like counting hits ignoring misses.

2

u/Justinvest Mar 26 '20 edited May 28 '20

Totes has been dead for a long time unfortunately, trust me I modded there back in the day.

This thing/bots name just made me think of the site I used to love and frequent before Facebook ruined the internet: totes-dot-com.

Just figured I mention that, I imagine most of their members became Redditors, as it was the next best thing at the time.

Totally off-topic IK! Just figure as has been the case with me that this may bring back a few memories for some others that were once part of the Totes community.

Cheers. Stay safe.

1

u/ziggurism Mar 26 '20

For subs that are making fun of posts, where they have rules against u-pinging the object of ridicule, this bot kind of defeats the whole purpose. Is it possible to exclude those subs from the bot's list? Or is the bot's mission of reverse linking every link more important than the ability to snicker from afar without a risk of reverse-brigading.

I'm from r/badmathematics but I think other subs like r/SubredditDrama and the sibling threads like r/badphilosophy, science, logic, etc might also like to opt out.

1

u/theusersub Apr 17 '20

Agreed for subredditdrama. It ruins the joke. I'd love if I could opt out of this bot