Description
Raise Apples awareness on the Mesh. Easy work. Good money. Come see Mantis in the Government Center.
Start: Side Jobs, Sirius Jump Gate
Introduction
You have a job: Social Media Bot Supervisor, accepted at Sirius Jump Gate in the Sirius system.
Visit Mantis Parmigian in the Government Center to find out more about the side job.
Next NPC: Mantis Parmigian, Government Center, Sirius Jump Gate
- Approach Mantis.
Mantis eyes you up and down wordlessly as you approach. He grunts for you to follow him through to a back office in what used to be the Government Center. You pass a few small cubicles occupied by 'Booters sitting at slate terminals, engrossed by the contents of their screens. Eventually you arrive at a vacant cubicle and Mantis motions for you to sit.
Mantis says: This is you. Everything you need is on the terminal. The steps are easy. Register a new content feed. Make it look real, put some effort in… Then use it to share and re-post the content scheduled for today. Hit your views and re-shares quota, then get paid. Don't do anything other than what I just said, or we'll have a problem.
Mantis walks off, leaving you staring at the flickering display of the slate terminal.
Next area: Government Center, Sirius Jump Gate
- Register a new channel feed.
(Intelligence check)
After some trial and error, you work out how to register a new content channel, using fake personal data provided by a random generator tool on the terminal. You link it to other accounts to make it seem more genuine, then get to work sharing and re-posting the content listed on today's agenda.
First up is a short video titled '10 Things about the Apples of Discord the Consortium doesn't want you to know!!!' You share the content and watch as it racks up a few views and re-shares.
- Continue with the next piece of content.
(Intelligence check)
You register another new channel then get to work sharing the next content item. It seems to be a series of images showing scientific equipment of various sorts, followed by images of a binary star imploding, captioned with 'How do you like them Apples?'. You share it via the Mesh and wait for other users to give it a thumbs up and a re-post.
- Continue with the next piece of content.
(Intelligence check)
Following the guidance on the terminal, you compose the next post with a title that fits the preferred clickbait approach. It's headed 'Do YOU trust the Consortium to Keep you Safe from Sirius Booters??'>
The data sources in the pre-prepared content items seem to be lacking or incomplete, but it doesn't stop other users from reacting to it once you've posted it. You watch the numbers as the various bots do their work, amplifying and directing attention towards your post. The thumbs up counter climbs gradually. It's clear there's demand for sensationalist exposes of Sirius matters around the Apples, no matter how low-grade the info actually seems to be. You wonder what the consequences of this might be.
- Finish with the last piece of content.
(Intelligence check)
The last post is short video report presenting an overview of the political situation in Sirius. In the accompanying narration, the Consortium come off as cold and covetous bullies eyeing the territory of the plucky and very much more human 'Booters here.
You wonder where this stuff gets made as you share the post and watch your total view counter increase further. It finally turns green when it hits 1000 content views for the shift.
See Mantis in the Government Center to collect payment.
Next NPC: Mantis Parmigian, Government Center, Sirius Jump Gate
- Ask Mantis about what happens here.
- Collect payment from Mantis.
Ask:
Me: What is this place exactly?
Mantis grins proudly.
Mantis says: Cool, right? Frickin easy money. Can't believe I get paid so much just to spread this stuff round the Mesh. Client's kinda vague, hacktivists on Congo I think… They look after the whole Apples set-up. I guess this is part of their er- PR efforts… Keep the Apples part of the conversation in other systems… Heck. As long as they keep paying, I'll keep my lil bot farm running…
- Collect payment from Mantis.
Mantis grunts approval as you collect payment.
Mantis says: You've got a knack for a turn of phrase. Comes in handy for racking up the eyeballs. Come back any time.
Congratulations!
You have completed the 'Social Media Bot Supervisor' job.
You have received 150.00 credits.
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