The AIM FishBot Phenomenon
When you were a kid and discovered the joys of call waiting and connecting calls, did you ever prank call two different people by dialing them both, connecting them together, and then simply listening in as they accused each other of calling? Hilarity usually ensued, as either they eventually came to the conclusion that they had been tricked, or one or the other got angry and slammed down their phone…
Today I was the victim of the digital equivalent, something called “Project Upstream;” a (harmless) bot system using AOL Instant Messenger that contacts two random people to engage in a completely random conversation. According to their website they are “an organization dedicated to promoting social ideals through the use of exciting new technology.
Project Upstream’s most well-known service is our swarm of robotic fish, which spontaneously connects AIM users to each other.”
What is a fish bot?
The friendly AIM bots have a countless number of screennames and have been seen as any of: (something)Salmon, (something)Trout, and (something)Coho. The opening message or “icebreaker” from these screennames varies, and the user screennames contacted appear to be gathered from LiveJournal, deviantART, Twitter, Xanga, and Digg. Messages sent may be altered in some way, such as being changed to piratespeak, old English, or changed to rainbow-colored fonts. The feeling you get when you receive that random IM is quite like being RickRoll’d.
Becoming a Victim:
BisexualCoho, (finding out later his name was Vince) was the person I was randomly connected with. I had been receiving these utterly strange messages from him [his bot] for a week now. I finally got tired of it:
Apparently, my screen name was in fact WoolenCoho.
Project Upstream is similar to, and may have taken its idea from, an AIM bot called “TheGreatHatsby.” TheGreatHatsby instigated AIM conversations by retrieving lists of recent LiveJournal posts and getting the AIM screen names of their authors. The bot would send a message such as “I say, old bean, have you seen my hat?” to two AIM screen names using its own screen name and forwarded any messages sent in reply to the other user. Thus anyone who was not aware of the trick would assume that the other person originally sent them the message.
After following links and reading about this it seems that many people are actually upset, even angered, by these lil’ robot fish. I found it hilarious. I assume they got my screenname through Twitter (though my Digg name is the same as well), and figuring out that the other person didn’t contact me was funny. In this age of digital separation, where our computers are our conduit to, and protective screen from, the real world, a little random connectivity is a welcome change. Was it confusing? Of course! But these little opportunities should not be a problem for us, they should be an opportunity to expand our worlds, even if by meeting just one person we would never have met otherwise.
To the people crying about how bad this is; quit your bitching. You can now opt-out of this by sending $optout to any of the fish bots. To Project Upstream; bravo to you for injecting a little chaos into our insular lives. So long, and thanks for all the fish.
You can request your very own Fishbot here.
Or read a journal dedicated to Salmon, Coho and Trout bot victims: The Missing Hat
Related posts:
Okay, this explained a few days worth of crazy “WTF” moments online for me. Thanks!
Thanks for posting this. I just received one of these messages. When I responded, saying I wasnt who they thought I was, they flew off the handle and demanded I tell them where I got their screen name from.
Very strange. I noticed on my chat list that I had another chat history with a *Coho. That led me to search and thus, an answer.
Anyways, thanks again.
I got a message from a coho bot that sarted out: “Hello, Jimmy.” took me only a sec to realize it was a bot, and i thought to myself “FUCKING PERFECT. Now another bot has my sn.” Thanks to google and this beautiful and informative girl who runs this site, I was able to opt out quite easily.
how come i dont get to se you on N4G anymore?
I sent $optout to the coho’s 3 times and they’re still bugging me.
.. I mean.. it’s a clever little script but spam is spam.
Finally, some answers! I like the idea now that I know what’s going on. =)
Ooh I was so effing confused. XD I’m glad I decided to Google the screen name I got, which was QuarteredCoho, by the way. Now that I know it isn’t dangerous or anything, I don’t mind.
How do i get them to stop?
Jenn, this was actually covered – in order to opt out of getting the random messages type $optout when they occur.
Thanks =)
Yeah… this happened to me today for the first time and I had no idea what was happening. But apparently I connected to some kid who’s been being harrassed by people under fishbot names and he was freaking out big time about how he was going to have me arrested for harrassing him…..But I had no idea what he was talking about……. I do not like this thing.
this was very informative, thanks a whole lot. i just got my second -coho im from someone who’s name was apparently ashley. the first one i had recieved was on my cellphone from another -coho asking if i considered myself a homophobe? yeah, awkward.
Thanks very much for this post, that explains a lot. I just got an IM from SuperSizedCoho yesterday morning demanding I play the “Desert Bus game” with them – A reference I actually understood. Too bad, I was kind of hoping I’d found an equally geeky person on these intertrons. :/
My boyfriend and I find this to be fucking hilarious. I got a random text tonight stating that “We should play desert bus together!” and then had a totally random conversation with WrinkledCoHo until we figured out what was going on. It was totally awesome and an excellent way to get to know a total stranger without risking getting completely stalked. My boyfriend actually cannot wait to get fish-botted!!! lolz
I wonder if I should consider myself lucky for not using AIM, because I’ve never had this happen to me. Is this only limited to AIM or other networks, too?
I am assuming that it is only using AIM names, but am not sure. I did not start receiving messages until I signed up for DIGG.com. My user name just happens to be the same as my AIM name… coincidence? dunno.
I just got hit this morning and I’m glad I googled the SN as soon as I thought something weird was going on. This is almost as amusing as whoever was hacking the road signs to say beware of zombies! Funny and not destructive! Good Job!
yea mine said do you think there will ever be an asian rapper. I knew something was wrong lol
This has ticked me off so many times, thank you for explaining it! So bizarre!
“To the people crying about how bad this is; quit your bitching.”
We bitch because this is no different than telemarketers and stalkers. Hey what’s your telephone number and IM – if you’re so enlightened you wouldn’t mind posting that info here and letting the random person contact you.
I have an idea why don’t you grow up!
Comment from: CT [Visitor]
Ooh I was so effing confused. XD I’m glad I decided to Google the screen name I got, which was QuarteredCoho, by the way. Now that I know it isn’t dangerous or anything, I don’t mind.
02/03/09 @ 22:36
This was the first thing that I did! Ahaha, great minds think alike.
Comment from: Jon [Visitor]
“Thanks very much for this post, that explains a lot. I just got an IM from SuperSizedCoho yesterday morning demanding I play the “Desert Bus game” with them – A reference I actually understood. Too bad, I was kind of hoping I’d found an equally geeky person on these intertrons. :/
02/08/09 @ 15:37″
SuperSizedCoho was the culprit for myself too, only the question was “Do you think there are Gender Roles?” I ended up opting out of the program, but only because my experience wasn’t a very nice one.
Thanks to NixiePixel for clearing this up.
Derek, I’m sorry.. it is really not the same as telemarketing.
I’d be happy to post that info here – everyone my AIM name is nixiepixel.
Well it looks like I’ll be taking advantage of me. I like this idea to be honest.
this*
Hahaha, BisexualCoho is by far the best screenname ever. I got an IM from AbandonCoho. I wish the person had responded.
This is intriguingly hilariuos.
Interesting, but still spam to me. Thanks for writing the entry.
Wow… 30 seconds after updating my twitter account with my AIM SN I got it by this. Funny! Thanks for posting info about it.
This is brilliant. I am into social trickery so I will probably hang around if FishBot does not become super annoying.
So, this happened to me too. I guess my name showed up as Disastrous Coho.
These random convos are fun, it makes my day more exciting.
EgomaniacalCoho (4:16:26 PM): What makes a relationship a relationship, besides sex? How is it different from a friendship?
crslucky17 (4:16:58 PM): do i kno u whow r u
EgomaniacalCoho (4:17:52 PM): http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=iron%20maiden
crslucky17 (4:19:19 PM): ??????????
EgomaniacalCoho (4:19:39 PM): an iron maiden was a torture device
crslucky17 (4:19:54 PM): I know what it is
crslucky17 (4:20:04 PM): who are you?
EgomaniacalCoho (4:20:15 PM): I don’t know…who are you?
crslucky17 (4:20:38 PM): How did you get my s/n?3
EgomaniacalCoho (4:21:34 PM): dude you im’d me
crslucky17 (4:21:53 PM): when?
EgomaniacalCoho (4:22:16 PM): (4:17:08 PM) EminentCoho: What does iron maiden mean?
crslucky17 (4:23:17 PM): EgomaniacalCoho (4:16:26 PM): What makes a relationship a relationship, besides sex? How is it different from a friendship?
crslucky17 (4:23:46 PM): is what u sent me
EgomaniacalCoho (4:24:38 PM): dude that is weird
EgomaniacalCoho (4:24:47 PM): so I’m guessing your real sn isn’t eminentcoho
EgomaniacalCoho (4:24:57 PM): as mine is not egomaniacalcoho
crslucky17 (4:25:03 PM): noo
crslucky17 (4:25:16 PM): im confused
crslucky17 (4:25:43 PM): what is yours
EgomaniacalCoho (4:25:55 PM): it’s circninja
crslucky17 (4:25:55 PM): mines crslucky17
EgomaniacalCoho (4:26:13 PM): weird
… I found it strange at first since I’m on YM and not AIM but tis fun all the same… ^_^;
thanks for this. i just received the weirdest random message.
joyfulcoho
12:04
Ye may think I be a pirate, yarr, but the truth be that I be a proper privateer! Yarrr!
then he called me fishbot! what nerve!
I too just got, as I learned now, fish botted by “capableCoho”.
“So, trebuchets”
which I replied to with a
“Hi?
Who is there?”
I got “your mom has AIDS” in return. Now, knowing my mom I am pretty sure she does not, So I reacted rather rude. Sorry to the poor fellow who had to see my anger. As my AIM name is pretty much public (we also support our Software in chat) this could have been a real request. Next time I guess I will smell earlier that something is fishy.
Cheers,
Malte
Thanks for the informative post! This is a very interesting project. I love the idea I just wish there was a better way to ensure conversation. I just got a lot of “who r u?” “wat?”
crazy. had no idea what this was….i was freaked out. but found it a bit funny.
thanks i got one just now it was this
AuspiciousCoho (5:53:33 PM): A shark on whisky… is mighty risky. But a shark on beer… is a beer engineer.
Hoboclown42 (5:53:49 PM): who are you
AuspiciousCoho (5:53:52 PM): hail, fellow
Hoboclown42 (5:53:55 PM): wtf
Hoboclown42 (5:54:00 PM): who are you
AuspiciousCoho (5:54:02 PM): hail
Hoboclown42 (5:54:06 PM): dude
Hoboclown42 (5:54:09 PM): this isnt cool
AuspiciousCoho (5:54:09 PM): what is ye guild
Thanks for explaining this. I’d gotten sick of them and started speaking Japanese to one. Was mildly amusing, but then I thought it was just some random asshat.
Thank you so much for posting this, I just recieved one of these AIMS…really weird..
one swooningcoho and I resorted to spacing out our words l i k e s o to get under the radar. got tedious.
thank for the info, and also for being really cute. congestedcoho will thank you.
Thanks for the informative post – this made it easy to figure out what was going on.
This is rad. I just got my first “fish” message and the person on the other end and I had the greatest conversation about the wonderful qualities of bread and their various toppings. I look forward to other such strangers.
sooo glad i don’t use AIM!
Haha thank you so much for this!
I got two different people both named UmbilicalCoho, and one named BeratedCoho. Finally I had enough sense to google the names. lol I was confused as hell before hand though.
For some reason though, my fish-bots were saying things in old speak. For example, ‘who are you’ was changed to ‘who art thou?’ and ‘message’ or ‘IM’ was changed to ‘carrier pigeon’.
Pretty weird, just wondering if this happened to anyone else
thank goodness for the info on how to opt out! i always knew this was a bot, but have been getting messages from different cohos for months, so annoying!
hey thanks for this explanation, it just happened to me. Thought it might be someone on my friends list I just didn’t recognize, google searched the name and ended up on here. Hooray for shared knowledge!
Am I the only one who finds this to just be intrusive and annoying spam?
1) Why should I have to “opt out” of a project I never signed up for?
2) I don’t recall any TOS in those social networking sites saying that by signing up I’ll be added to the “Project upstream” thing.
Yes I’m very annoyed by this. If I wanted to be part of some “meet a stranger online” project I’d do it myself. I don’t care how “friendly” they say it is… I make my own decisions on who I wish to talk to.
Spam – even if you put a pretty dress on it – is still nothing more than spam.
Just had my first encounter with this. Unfortunately, the person who I got connected to wasn’t very talkative – but I love the concept. Discussed this with a friend and it very much seems the next level of social networking.
Ok. that is not what happened to me.. i just got done talking with it. and i knew what i was ..the fishbot and everything because i read this website yesterday when the “InsighfulCoho” Imed my friend.. but this knew everything about me. and it knew what i was doing on my screen! It said it had 5 minutes seeing time? and it knew what i was saying to my friends on my computer..also it knew i was video chatting with my friend and it said it saw me.. and it named everyone on my buddylist. i have never been so scared in my life. it knew my birthday and how my dog has diabetes. im sooooo scared. WHAT DO I DO?
haha i just got IMd by the sn of SwooningCoho lmao. I was like who the freak r u!? and they were really brief and all tht jazz and so I was like wondering if it was my friend messn with me so haha I googled it
wow this makes me laugh and smile! heh
Upset?
I love it. I wish I was Fish spammed more often lol.