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MIT's BeeMe Giant Social Experiment Puts a Human Under Internet Control (newatlas.com)

Posted by msmash on from the grand-social-experiment dept.

This Halloween scientists at MIT's Media Lab are embarking on a massive social experiment. From a report: Called BeeMe, the project will let internet users control a real human actor, suggesting, and collectively voting on, this person's every action. New Atlas reached out to Niccolo Pescetelli, one of the creators behind the experiment, to find out exactly what is about to happen. BeeMe is an immersive interactive game that will kick off at 11 pm US EST on Halloween night. Users will be able to participate by logging into the BeeMe website from which they will be able to suggest, and vote on, actions that direct an actor in real life. A live video stream on the website will allow users to see what the actor sees. On a superficial level BeeMe is a fun Halloween game, with a narrative telling the story of an evil artificial intelligence that has been accidentally released online. Users must collectively coordinate their efforts to direct the human actor to defeat this nefarious AI.

59 comments

  1. Sounds like a B movie! by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 2

    Sounds like a B movie!

    1. Re:Sounds like a B movie! by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sounds like a B movie!

      That depends on the vote, but a B movie would go something like:
      -superglue shoe on head
      -pull down pants
      -put sharpie in butt
      -stalk nicholas cage

    2. Re:Sounds like a B movie! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That depends on the vote, but a B movie would go something like:
      -superglue shoe on head
      -pull down pants
      -put sharpie in butt
      -stalk nicholas cage

      That's what the voices have been telling me to do.

      Maybe I'm being controlled by the internet? I knew the voices were real!!

    3. Re:Sounds like a B movie! by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      More like a /b/ movie, if you get my drift.

    4. Re:Sounds like a B movie! by dgatwood · · Score: 2

      Sounds like a B movie!

      That depends on the vote, but a B movie would go something like: -superglue shoe on head -pull down pants -put sharpie in butt -stalk nicholas cage

      I was thinking something similar, but I have far less faith in humanity on the Internet than you do, so I would expect the experiment to end with a criminal conviction within the first day, e.g.

      23:00 - Go to a 7-11.
      23:15 - Buy Twinkies and a bottle of Coke.
      23:18 - Go home.
      23:33 - Pick up your drill and high-speed wood bits.
      23:34 - Go to the school playground across the street.
      23:36 - Drill a hole through that tree just below waist level, using your largest bit.
      23:38 - Go home.
      ...
      00:15 - Go to sleep.
      ...
      07:30 - Pick up the Twinkies and Coke.
      07:31 - Go to the school playground across the street.
      07:33 - Have sex with the tree.
      07:35 - Tell the police officer that you were just doing what the voices in your head instructed you to do.
      07:36 - Experiment ended.

      but we might see something even more extreme:

      23:00 - Go round up two of your friends.
      23:45 - Drive to the police station in your friend's car.
      23:47 - Tell the driver to stay in car with the car running, parked nose out.
      23:49 - Instruct the other friend to distract the front desk police officer while you steal his gun.
      23:50 - Run!
      23:52 - Drive to the nearest 7-11.
      23:55 - Demand all the money in the cash register.
      23:58 - Drive to the next nearest 7-11.
      00:01 - Demand all the money in the cash register.
      00:04 - Drive to the next nearest 7-11.
      00:07 - Demand all the money in the cash register.
      ...
      00:43 - Shout "Screw you, Copper!" and draw your weapon.
      00:44 - Experiment terminated.

      I mean, I used to think you could always count on the kindness of strangers. Then, I learned about anonymity, and realized that you can always count on people to be complete a**holes on the Internet.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    5. Re:Sounds like a B movie! by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      Yeah people aren't going to be interested in following some sort of story, they're going to try to get the guy to do things that they think are funny or humiliating for him. Within the first 5 minutes they're going to tell him to suck his own dick and try to fight someone.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    6. Re:Sounds like a B movie! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sounds more like JenniCam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Ringley

  2. MIT Media Lab by 110010001000 · · Score: 4, Funny

    MIT Media Lab: wasting money and technology since 1985.

    1. Re:MIT Media Lab by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I predict that as with all of their "experiments" they will use the data to make broad wild conclusions about human-technology interaction that says more about their bad methodology, lack of science, and the preconceived notions of spoiled rich kids than anything about humanity or technology.

    2. Re:MIT Media Lab by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      110010001000: Wasting air since his mom didn't abort.

  3. inb4 4chan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Lets show how Slashdot can be worse.

  4. Oh lord by Bobrick · · Score: 4, Funny

    This will go well, I'm sure! How long before he's made to masturbate while doing Seig Heil's?

    1. Re:Oh lord by sinij · · Score: 2

      How long? Roughly 5 seconds after 4chan learns about this project.

    2. Re:Oh lord by sosume · · Score: 1

      Somehow it *always* ends like that. Maybe this is just basic humanity, we can't have nice things.

    3. Re:Oh lord by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't get it. How is a human under Internet control a "nice thing"?

    4. Re:Oh lord by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This will go well, I'm sure! How long before he's made to masturbate while doing Seig Heil's?

      To be fair, this is quite a difficult task.

    5. Re:Oh lord by Bobrick · · Score: 1

      "Come on, BeeMeDude, use the left hand just this time!"

    6. Re:Oh lord by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was picturing a couple of disgusted looking scientists watching an endless stream of "Wank" scrolling off their display.

    7. Re:Oh lord by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Came here to say that.

      But knowing /., I knew that I'd probably be hours too late.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    8. Re:Oh lord by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Oh that would be the first "X react to" video I'd willingly watch!

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    9. Re:Oh lord by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sui macsuicideface?

    10. Re:Oh lord by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ROFL yiu read my mind. Not long my good friend, especially if I find the link firdt

  5. Rule 34 by PPH · · Score: 1

    --

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  6. 100% Vote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Have they never been anywhere on the net? Guarantee this will go badly.

    "Piss and shit in to a jar, mix it, then drink it. Now, rub your genitals on the glass and punch yourself in the face."

  7. Re:Sounds like Gamer by Etcetera · · Score: 1

    Sounds like a B movie!

    Actually, sounds more like 2009's Gamer:

    In a future mind-controlling game, death row convicts are forced to battle in a 'Doom'-type environment. Convict Kable, controlled by Simon, a skilled teenage gamer, must survive thirty sessions in order to be set free. Or won't he?

    I liked that the villain in that movie was basically Mark Zuckerberg, played by the guy who was Dexter. It was fairly shlockish, but I think it would probably been seen in a much better light if it were to come out now, with us being on the far side of the social networks' ill effects on society.

    --
    Hire a Linux system administrator, systems engineer,
  8. Twitch plays by FFOMelchior · · Score: 1

    Basically Twitch Plays Real Life?
    Wiki

  9. New excuse for a killing spree by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I'm sorry your honer, but I was forced by the online crowd that controls my every action."

    1. Re:New excuse for a killing spree by White+Yeti · · Score: 1

      I read the headline and thought "puts another human under Internet control."

    2. Re:New excuse for a killing spree by mark-t · · Score: 2
      Actually, the guy apparently still has veto power.

      Pescetelli is, of course, also aware of the internet's predilection for disturbing extremity and there are rules constraining the commands to ensure the safety, privacy and respect of all parties involved, including bystanders. So this won't devolve into a live-action version of Grand Theft Auto. However, Pescetelli does add that, "Everything else will be allowed."

      --
      File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
    3. Re:New excuse for a killing spree by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      I was more thinking along the lines of

      "Sorry your honor, they still control my actions, and this explains my lack of pants. Or underpants. Or why 'it' has an American flag attached."

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    4. Re:New excuse for a killing spree by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      So anything not in GTA is allowed?

      Anyone know some Furries? I know they'd have some ideas...

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    5. Re:New excuse for a killing spree by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So the question becomes: What can they do to trick him into a bad situation? One where he doesn't realize his predicament until too late. The article does say commands can be suggested and voted on, so it's not totally scripted. But it does not say if there is an end date, just when it starts. The longer it goes on, the better the trolls could organize.

    6. Re:New excuse for a killing spree by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There should be plenty of furries around MIT. Holy crap, I hope 4chan gets on this _pronto_.

  10. But can I have it my way? by Nkwe · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's been done: Subservient Chicken

    1. Re:But can I have it my way? by OverlordQ · · Score: 1

      Or the guy that sold shares of himself.

      --
      Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
  11. I call bullshit. by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    They are going to present a number of choices you can make because if they didn't, this would end up with the guy, drawing on a Hitler mustache, sprinting around buck naked chasing dogs at the local park. I know how Internet thinks and it's lowbrow pranksterism knows no bounds. Alternatively, the dog park is going to be a lot more lively today. ;)

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:I call bullshit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To be fair MIT doing it implies it's naive students who planned the whole thing.
      Alternatively that might be the point and it's essentially an elaborate game of truth or dare at the one subject's expense.

  12. Trips tell me... by pablo_max · · Score: 1

    So basically, it's "trips tells me what to do to my cat" or "dubs names my doggo".
    What can possibly go wrong..

  13. Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1
    OMFG, were these people born yesterday? When the 4chan (and 4chan-esque crowd) gets wind of this, they'll game the hell out of it, and either humiliate whoever it is to the point where they either quit or commit suicide -- assuming that is they don't trick whoever it is into suicide. Or they'll get them to commit a crime. Or ruin their life somehow. Worst. Idea. Ever.

    "Reverse RActing" (if you're familiar with The Diamond Age, that is)

    1. Re:Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      That's the experiment: will there be more griefers or good-hearted people? My money is on the griefers; they're better organized!

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    2. Re:Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      Yeah. :-/
      'BeeMe' will end up being '/b/Me'. :-/

    3. Re:Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wonder if that would still be the case in a real scenario, meaning, it wasn't a game but we actually needed to band together as a species to defeat a skynet thingie or die out. Griefers are more organized because they are spoiled shits with lots of time and choice on their hands. Disaster has a way of leveling the playing field.

    4. Re:Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by jbmartin6 · · Score: 1

      Good hearted folks aren't up at 11 PM US Eastern Halloween night playing internet experiments. Well, not very many at least. We hope the Chinese get in on it

      --
      This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
    5. Re:Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      You're right, they're not. The Blackpilled crowd, the misanthropes, the massively butthurt foreveralone uggos who have been rejected so many times that they've become massive misogynists, the habitual trolls, wannabe anarchists, pedophiles, and outright internet criminals, are online at 11PM Eastern Time, and they'll be the ones turning this into an absolute horror show of a disaster.

    6. Re:Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      I got burned out on internet gaming all the way back in the late 90's/early 2000's, so I wasn't even familiar with the term 'griefers'.. but in your scenario, these assholes would be helping SkyNet, because they think it would be awesome and funny. I shit you not. These are the same type who voted for Trump not because he would be a good president, but because they knew it'd piss off millions of people.

    7. Re:Someone said 'B movie'; more like "/b/ movie" by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 1

      One competent troll is worth a thousand kind-hearted plebs.

  14. Porn has had this for years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nothing new in the porn webcam world!

  15. Well sure by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

    Nothing defeats AI like putting humans under Internet control.

    1. Re:Well sure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I, for one, welcome our new Internet overlords.

  16. Dickwolves by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    SHITCOCK!

  17. Prediction: by Calydor · · Score: 1

    He will be forced to have his name legally changed to Boaty McBoatface, rob a bank, snort coke in front of a police station, strip all his clothes off and do the macarena endlessly until he's arrested.

    --
    -=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
  18. Sort of like ModMyLife? by sims+2 · · Score: 1

    Seems to be pretty much entirely lost to time now but back around 2007 there was a site that would let you watch and control people by voting on actions.
    Of course this was 2007 and LTE didn't exist yet but it was live streamed over the existing 3G at the time, it worked remarkably well.

    Somehow there doesn't appear to be any videos of the site in operation but it was pretty fun.

    It didn't have any goals or anything tho they just wandered around messing with people.

    BeeMe appears like it will be a story driven based game.

    I'll be sure and check it out it looks like it could be fun.

    --
    Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
  19. What could possibly go wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Boaty McBoatface (IMO that was actually funny)

    Tay

    This behaviour is not limited to the internet (Let People Do What They Want) but it will certainly be amplified by the internet.

  20. Hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Someone at MIT must like SuperDeluxe

  21. This was terrifying when it was in Gamer... by urusan · · Score: 1

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  22. The Internet Orders you to... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Internet orders you to move to a swing district and vote for a third party candidate, generate and post a stupid comment on any topic as "Anonymous Coward" on Slashdot, then randomly perform one of the recent loser commands from BeeMe.

  23. Achievement Unlocked: cam whore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Within 10 minutes this actor is going to be beating off and raping squirrels on cam.

  24. MIT never heard of streaming sites?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seriously, between Twitch IRL and live streaming in general, how is this any different? Smells like someone got paid for nothing.

    For those who don't know, Twitch IRL is exactly this. Kinda like reality tv but much, much more interactive and less Hollywood drama crap. More people streaming their life. You can typically donate to do different things from playing embarassing sounds, to messages.

    https://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/Just%20Chatting

    No MIT. No Social experiments. No BS. If anyone from Twitch reads this, damn you for killing the IRL brand.

  25. The AI Already won by BennyB2k4 · · Score: 1

    communications have been disabled. we must be at war. 502 Bad Gateway