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Americo Express

Started by Molandfreak, August 31, 2024, 12:41:06 AM

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Molandfreak

Has anyone else seen some recent highway-related posts on Facebook by an account named Americo Express? It seems to be AI-generated content, but the AI still makes factual errors when posting that result in the post getting a lot more attention than I would normally expect from road-related content.

About 10 years ago, @bugo had an interesting take about sign errors and said that he wouldn't report a sign error on I-49 since an error can lead to someone becoming interested in the hobby. This seems like a situation similar to that, where mass-shared content is being noticed and commented on by others at a greater rate than something that would otherwise have been posted either here or on one of the organized Facebook groups. Just kind of interesting.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084767865730&mibextid=LQQJ4d
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 05, 2023, 08:24:57 PMAASHTO attributes 28.5% of highway inventory shrink to bad road fan social media posts.


SectorZ

The one review of the page points out it's managed in India and many of the pics are stolen from USEnds.com. The "Proud An American Citizen" slogan doesn't help here.

I really don't understand the goal here with these people.

1) Post pix of United States roads from foreign country
2) ?
3) Profit

They're the underpants gnomes of Facebook.

formulanone

#2
I've created a handy guide:

Bothell is a city in the state of Washington.

Bot Hell is the current state of social media.

I just reported the account as Misinformation > Social Issues. You should do the same, or it will continue to generate more attention and junk. I think all of us can agree on that; if not, you're probably also a bot.

tchafe1978

I've had posts by a couple of these very similar accounts posting very similar content. Another one I've seen is called "Culture". All posted in the same style, all seems AI generated. Weird.

Scott5114

"Americo Express" sounds like it should be a coffee shop, or maybe one of those run down corner gas stations that still have only 4 pumps and a manually-operated price sign that doesn't match the rest of their branding.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Molandfreak

Quote from: Scott5114 on September 01, 2024, 01:29:43 AM"Americo Express" sounds like it should be a coffee shop, or maybe one of those run down corner gas stations that still have only 4 pumps and a manually-operated price sign that doesn't match the rest of their branding.
https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlyspecific/
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 05, 2023, 08:24:57 PMAASHTO attributes 28.5% of highway inventory shrink to bad road fan social media posts.

Max Rockatansky

#6
Quote from: SectorZ on August 31, 2024, 07:32:00 AMThe one review of the page points out it's managed in India and many of the pics are stolen from USEnds.com. The "Proud An American Citizen" slogan doesn't help here.

I really don't understand the goal here with these people.

1) Post pix of United States roads from foreign country
2) ?
3) Profit

They're the underpants gnomes of Facebook.

It doesn't take a great deal to get a monetized Facebook page going.

FWIW, I've blocked this page given the obvious photo theft (and probably plagiarism) that was afoot.

formulanone

#7
Quote from: Molandfreak on September 01, 2024, 01:41:56 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 01, 2024, 01:29:43 AM"Americo Express" sounds like it should be a coffee shop, or maybe one of those run down corner gas stations that still have only 4 pumps and a manually-operated price sign that doesn't match the rest of their branding.
https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlyspecific/
I have found the sounds of my people.

Since it used one of my photos without a source nor attribution, I also hit it with a copyright violation. Another pointless task but maybe something gets done about that crap.

Molandfreak

Quote from: formulanone on September 01, 2024, 08:00:39 AM
Quote from: Molandfreak on September 01, 2024, 01:41:56 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 01, 2024, 01:29:43 AM"Americo Express" sounds like it should be a coffee shop, or maybe one of those run down corner gas stations that still have only 4 pumps and a manually-operated price sign that doesn't match the rest of their branding.
https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlyspecific/
I have found the sounds of my people.

Since it used one of my photos without a source nor attribution, I also hit it with a copyright violation. Another pointless task but maybe something gets done about that crap.
I have filed copyright notices in the past—once for a page that clipped a comment of mine out of context even though I'm far from a public figure. The post was taken down, so it doesn't seem to be that futile of a task.

For the record, I didn't mean to condone the content this page posts, I just thought it was interesting that it was getting so much attention.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 05, 2023, 08:24:57 PMAASHTO attributes 28.5% of highway inventory shrink to bad road fan social media posts.

1995hoo

Quote from: Scott5114 on September 01, 2024, 01:29:43 AM"Americo Express" sounds like it should be a coffee shop, or maybe one of those run down corner gas stations that still have only 4 pumps and a manually-operated price sign that doesn't match the rest of their branding.

To my mind, "Americo Express" sounds like the sort of typo you see in a lot of phishing e-mails (I got a phishing attempt the other day claiming that I needed to verify my "PaytoPal" account).

The IT department at my office periodically sends out fake phishing e-mails as a test; you're supposed to click a button to report phishing if you see a message you suspect as such. Two weeks ago, they sent me one from "Amazom" (note spelling, which appeared four times in the message).
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

hotdogPi

I remember back when Stearn Cornmunity was a thing. There were jokes about being Steam taken over by corn.

I actually almost got phished a few days ago. It was pretending to be DocuSign, which I've used legitimately before. I had just started Phase II of a grant, so I thought it was for that. However, it led to what it said was a Webmail login and asked for my password. Luckily, my boss texted me and told me it was a scam before I was able to type in my password. The thing is, though, that I received the fake email at 9:03 AM, and the text from my boss came in at 9:16 AM. If I had opened my work computer at any time in the prior 13 minutes, I would have been phished. (I'm not sure how much damage it would have done; most of my accounts use my home email and not my work email.)
Clinched

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bugo

I remember that. The poster "AHTD" asked the members of this forum to contact the highway department to report I-540 signs in NWA after it was renumbered to I-49. I said that some day a kid might see an I-540 sign in Fayetteville and become a road enthusiast because of it. But the anal roadgeeks have to ruin everything because they're mentally ill and think everything has to be the same everywhere. Screw those guys.

vdeane

Quote from: bugo on September 04, 2024, 09:11:36 PMI remember that. The poster "AHTD" asked the members of this forum to contact the highway department to report I-540 signs in NWA after it was renumbered to I-49. I said that some day a kid might see an I-540 sign in Fayetteville and become a road enthusiast because of it. But the anal roadgeeks have to ruin everything because they're mentally ill and think everything has to be the same everywhere. Screw those guys.
Wasn't AHTD a government account from the DOT?
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

formulanone

#13
Follow Up...
QuoteHi,

Thanks for contacting us. Based on the information you have provided, it's not clear that you are the rights owner or are otherwise authorized to submit this report on the rights owner's behalf. To help confirm that you're authorized to submit this report, please do one of the following:

- Submit a new report from an email address associated with your organization, Instagram account or Facebook account and reference this report number in your message.
 
- Reply to this message and provide additional information, such as documentation clarifying your authorization to submit this report.

Once you have done so, we'll continue to look into your report.

Basically, Facebook is not looking into this because they can't perform 30 more seconds of research: namely, photo EXIF information matching the Facebook user ID. I sent a reply showing that the embedded photo data matches my FB name, and how to do that.

Not sure if the email reply goes anywhere.

formulanone

Surprisingly, I got another response within an hour. They have now removed the two photo violations I have requested.

I encourage others to do the same, though this is not always possible nor easy to prove. If you have the ability to edit your EXIF data on jpeg files, I recommend doing so. Of course what's already uploaded cannot be re-loaded unless you have direct control of the image file.

74/171FAN

Quote from: vdeane on September 05, 2024, 12:47:24 PM
Quote from: bugo on September 04, 2024, 09:11:36 PMI remember that. The poster "AHTD" asked the members of this forum to contact the highway department to report I-540 signs in NWA after it was renumbered to I-49. I said that some day a kid might see an I-540 sign in Fayetteville and become a road enthusiast because of it. But the anal roadgeeks have to ruin everything because they're mentally ill and think everything has to be the same everywhere. Screw those guys.
Wasn't AHTD a government account from the DOT?

I believe it was if I remember correctly.
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

Travel Mapping: https://travelmapping.net/user/?units=miles&u=markkos1992
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bugo

I took this picture about 10 years ago (the sign is no longer there) and a year or two later, the Penny Hoarder stole it, edited it and posted it on their Facebook page. The way it was posted I wasn't able to report it. I guess the way they hoard pennies is because they steal images and don't have to pay for them.


Life in Paradise

Quote from: 1995hoo on September 02, 2024, 09:29:57 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 01, 2024, 01:29:43 AM"Americo Express" sounds like it should be a coffee shop, or maybe one of those run down corner gas stations that still have only 4 pumps and a manually-operated price sign that doesn't match the rest of their branding.

To my mind, "Americo Express" sounds like the sort of typo you see in a lot of phishing e-mails (I got a phishing attempt the other day claiming that I needed to verify my "PaytoPal" account).

The IT department at my office periodically sends out fake phishing e-mails as a test; you're supposed to click a button to report phishing if you see a message you suspect as such. Two weeks ago, they sent me one from "Amazom" (note spelling, which appeared four times in the message).
My company does the same thing and when you use the Phishing Button to click something that you are concerned about that ends up being legit, they slap your hands for using the button because you should know to fully check it out (that's why I clicked the button!).

Big John

#18
I had that A.I. site blocked now they are putting that stuff out as Americo Fans. Just blocked them too.

LilianaUwU

Quote from: Big John on November 12, 2024, 05:38:43 AMI had that A.I. site blocked now they ars putting that stuff out as Americo Fans. Just blocked them too.
That name implies there are fans of AI slop.
"Volcano with no fire... Not volcano... Just mountain."
—Mr. Thwomp

My pronouns are she/her. Also, I'm an admin on the AARoads Wiki.

formulanone

They've largely resorted to just copying off Google Street View.

And me, but that's besides the point. [Every road] is an important...

Big John

Now a 3rd site from that source. - Culture & Life USA.

hbelkins

We had a similar thread about the "Culture" and "World Culture" pages, and it got locked for violating the "no discussion of other sites" rule.
Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

formulanone

#23
Quote from: hbelkins on November 12, 2024, 08:56:56 PMWe had a similar thread about the "Culture" and "World Culture" pages, and it got locked for violating the "no discussion of other sites" rule.

Yeah, but if it's discussing roads I feel we're in a gray area, in my opinion.

Surely we don't need a lovefest/rant about Facebook and how other websites handle their business. But we're okay with discussion on other roadgeeks' websites, and rightfully so; it's the core of our forum's discussion and many of them are also created by its members.

It's an exhibit of misinformation (but not necessarily "disinformation") and how we're witnessing the accelerating erosion of facts due to the ability of someone to turn a profit (however minuscule) from our hobby. 99% of the populace doesn't care about these specifics but as it grows like a cancer (sites with incorrect data get web-crawled and copied repeatedly, redistribution by the masses' arguments), this kind of specific information gets dumbed down across all sorts of subjects.

Sturgeon's Law in effect; as the masses have no limit on information overload, they just want the bottomless pit filled, and one void is filling another ceaselessly and carelessly.

Never mind all that, who wants more photos?

vdeane

Quote from: formulanone on November 13, 2024, 09:55:40 AMdue to the ability of someone to turn a profit (however minuscule) from our hobby.
How in the world do these AI pages make money by stealing pictures and jamming in often-incorrect generated text?  I didn't even know it was possible to make money from a Facebook page.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.