Fanbois and Fanbots: Tesla’s Entrepreneurial Narratives and Corporate Computational Propaganda on Social Media

This paper reports the discovery of a series computational social media accounts (Fanbots) on Twitter that may have played critical role in sustaining entrepreneurial narratives Tesla, electric-vehicle maker. From 2010 to 2020—a period trial, error, and eventual success for Tesla—these agents generated pro-firm tweets (Corporate Computational Propaganda, CCP), accounting more than 10% total activity included cashtag, $TSLA, 23% hashtag, #TSLA. Though similar programmed content political sphere, activities these predate existence propaganda associated with foreign support for, instance, Brexit United Kingdom (2016) Donald Trump States (2016). The (a) characterizes extent Fanbot two large Tesla tweet corpora, (b) identifies possible motivations creation relation firm’s narratives, (c) explores mechanisms by which Fanbots might acted. Although we are unable directly observe source or stated purpose accounts, based upon timing other indirect indicators, infer they were intended influence perception Tesla. conclusion assesses generalizability Fanbot-based strategy, highlighting contextual limitations, while also pointing ways firms already be using CCP manage approval emerging-industry contexts.