Bot or Not? Understanding Automated Attacks and When They Matter

We all know what a "bot" is—or at least we think we do. When a brand faces sudden online criticism from disgruntled customers or when a logo redesign unexpectedly dominates the social media landscape—you may be thinking, we are being targeted by an adversarial bot campaign, but not so fast. What may appear to be an automated attack often turns out to be a more nuanced mix of human and automated behavior.

In this 30-minute Ask an Expert session, Graphika analysts Cristina López G. and Angie Waller unpack how to analyze online activity with precision—showing you how to distinguish automation from amplification, identify when a network warrants deeper investigation, and when it’s simply noise.

 

About the Speakers

Cristina López G., Principal Analyst, Graphika - Cristina specializes in identifying and analyzing online influence operations and coordinated network behaviors across social media platforms.

Angie Waller, Intelligence Specialist, Graphika - Angie is a computational linguist and product designer who studies AI systems and the vulnerabilities that emerge on social media platforms..

 

What You’ll Learn

• Beyond the Buzzword: Understand what truly defines bot behavior today and how automation has evolved.
• Recognizing Complex Influence Patterns: Explore how multiple factors—not just bots—can shape viral moments.
• Knowing When (and When Not) to Act: Gain insights on interpreting bot-like activity and deciding when to intervene.

 

Who Should Watch

This session is designed for:

• Trust & Safety professionals monitoring inauthentic behavior and emerging online threats
• Cybersecurity teams investigating coordinated network activity and influence campaigns
• Brand and Communications managers tracking narrative spread and mitigating reputational risks
• Threat Intelligence and Risk analysts identifying early signals of manipulation and assessing potential impact

 

Originally Aired

Wednesday, November 5, 2025, this webinar is now available on-demand for you to explore at your convenience.

Register now to watch the full webinar on demand and gain exclusive access to insights from Graphika’s intelligence experts.