Abstract: [Purpose/Significance] This paper aims to explore the impact of social bots on public opinion across various online environments in the era of smart media, to uncover the potential role of social bots in generating online public sentiment, and to provide reference suggestions for the management of online public sentiment. [Design/Methodology] Incorporating the Spiral of Silence theory and employing Agent-Based Modeling（ABM）simulation method, this paper constructed various network structures, including scale-free network, small-world network, random network, and real-world social network, to investigate the influence of social bots on public opinion expression at different stages. [Findings/Conclusion] If only a minority of social bots engage in public opinion dissemination, there is a high likelihood of triggering the spiral effect of silence. Furthermore, the variations in the online environment have an impact on the intervention of social bots in public sentiment. Additionally, social bots play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of public opinion, and a certain proportion of justice-oriented social bots, in collaboration with the media, can effectively enhance the efficiency of public opinion guidance. [Originality/Value] Integrating the Spiral of Silence Theory with Agent-Based Modeling（ABM）simulation method, this paper analyzes how social bots can be utilized in intervening in and monitoring public sentiment within social networks.

Keywords: Public opinion intervention, Social bots, Social network, The Spiral of Silence Theory