The other day I had a little chat on Twitter with my good friend Brankica from OnlineIncomeStar about Twitter. We were chatting about all the fake accounts created every day and how frustrating it is. Many of these accounts are created by auto-bots and people that want to get attention by spamming all us real people that love to use the Social Media every day. The chat gave me the idea to write this post. Not that I expect anyone from Twitter to read this post, but maybe it can help start a debate about an issue I think many of you can relate to. Why is Twitter not doing more to reduce the spam?
Get it fixed Twitter
Don’t get me wrong. It is not that I love E-Mail or SMS validation or just can’t get enough of entering these fun CAPTCHA letters to create an online account. But how often are we actually creating new Twitter accounts compared to the time we spend on dealing with fake Twitter accounts each week? At the moment I have about 600 followers, but to be honest I have no idea how many of them actually are real people with real intentions that wants to connect with me.
There will always be fake accounts on Twitter
Well okay. I am not expecting Twitter to solve the problem with Spam and fake accounts totally, but I would love if they would try with some new initiatives to reduce the among of fake accounts that are created on a daily basis. Let’s face it. It is way too easy for spammers to create a new fake Twitter account. All you need is an email address and it is not that hard to get all the free mail addresses you want. At least Twitter could change the sign up process once in a while making the bad guys have to redesign there auto-bot scripts. I guess that could be a good and easy start.
Twitter Verified
Instead of solving the spam issues that have been on Twitter for a very long time Twitter have a feature called Twitter Verified Profiles. Verified profiles can be identified by a blue badge on the right side of the profile names. Verified profiles are not for anyone, it is something that Twitter controls. Typically accounts that get the Verified Profile status are stars of music, politics, actors and other famous people that are exposed for being impersonated. It might be a great feature, but it does not solve anything about regarding the spam issue.
Get it fix Twitter, we can’t stand anymore fake spam accounts
I love using Twitter and I am connected to my Tweeps almost every day, but all the spam from fake accounts is very frustrating. I really think it is time for Twitter to do something serious about fake accounts and auto bots, just like Google change their algorithms once in a while to make the search results better. Verified accounts do not solve anything in my objective and are not for ordinary people anyway. Come on Twitter you can do better. You need to do better.
Now it is your turn. What do you think about all the fake accounts and spam on Twitter? Is it just something we have to live with or do you like me thinks that Twitter can do better? Please leave me a comment below and share this post on Twitter 😀
Fake accounts are really frustrating, I never had too much of Twitter experience though I heard many hacks and cracks news of Twitter accounts, I’m just just a victim of Yahoo account.
I think popularity excites hacker and spammers because these popular sites and service got too much to play…
Well, nice post and helpful thoughts.
Hi Thomas, I completely agree with you. If I have to filter my blog for spammers, why can’t Twitter filter its site? The problem went away for a while, but now it has come roaring back.
I do hope that TPTB at Twitter read this!
Hi Carolyn
I am glad to hear that you agree with me on this matter. I think it is time for Twitter to do some cleaning up now..
Yup! I agree with you.
Nicely written post there Thomas, the Verified accounts are a great idea from Twitter, wish they’d verify mine, there are tweeters trying to mimic me 😉
Thank you Karen. Verified accounts are a fine idea, but I guess you and I are not famous enough to get that 😉 I would just like if everybody not just was able to, but actually was required to verify their account.
That’s a brilliant idea Thomas, but I suppose people would soon get around the verifying process 😉
They properly would. I just still would like Twitter to do more to reduce the all the spam on Twitter.
For now Thomas, I think we’ll just have to keep clicking that “Report spam” button to show Twitter we are all serious about it 😉 😉
Hey Thomas, thanks for the mention and I think you are absolutely right that one version of verified profile badge should be available to “plain ol'” people like us. This is really getting ridiculous with spammers.
You are welcome Brankica.
Let us hope that Twitter will soon do something about it. Otherwise we will have to take all our friends over to Google+ 😉
Hi Thomas,
Kudos for writing this, I hope the big guns at Twitter are listening. And do something about it.
Whenever someone follows me on twitter, I get so excited hoping it will be Tom Hanks but sadly, it is usually some one known by some weird name that doesn’t make any sense. I have gone ahead and blocked them but then I keep hoping they do something about it.
Thank you Hajra.
I can’t believe that Tom Hanks are not following you yet. He really should 😉
He should! Maybe I actually have to stalk him in person to take notice! 😉
Nicely written post there Thomas, the Verified accounts are a supreme concept from Twitter, wish they’d confirm mine, there are tweeters trying to mimic me
you are right about that
but spammers always find a way
i believe the ultimate solution is an international law that arrests spammers
i suffered a lot because of those guys and i want them to go to jail
I don’t believe it will be possible to stop spam. I all I ask is that Twitter will try to change a couple of things to reduce the amount of spam on Twitter. E.g. some features on Facebook require SMS verification. I think that would be very powerful, at least for a while.
Hey Thomas,
Great post and I have no doubt Brankica had a lot to say about that as well.
One thing I know is that it would really be hard to get a hold on everything. All I know is that if someone tweets me with an egg photo I never respond. I don’t openly follow people anymore unless they are people I’ve connected with so I have a feeling I still have some fake accounts following me but that’s just so hard to keep up with.
Great post though and maybe, just maybe Twitter will read it and take note.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne
Eggheads has no change we me either. I also look for a bio on new followers. Many of the fake accounts have no bio at all. I just can’t understand why Twitter is not trying harder to reduce all the spam accounts created every day. Maybe I should send a copy of my post to someone at twitter.
I actually relied on Twitter’s verified accounts to know that an account wasn’t a spambot. However, the issues you brought up have made me realize that there actually are a few spam problems in Twitter. Luckily for me, I’m not popular or famous enough to get too much spam…ha ha.
Hi Robert
Verified accounts are fine, but you and I can’t get our accounts verified by twitter. I almost every day get mentioned in tweets, from eggheads that are only sending me a link and nothing else. When I look on what else this user are tweeting it is just the same, but with different twitter names mentioned. I can of cause report spam and block the user, but the next day it is just another account spamming me. It is very frustrating.
Hi Thomas,
absolutely agree with you. Twitter should toughen the rules for creating account. Even when I search for some people I want to follow I may get a couple of fake accounts. That’s irritating.
Hi John
I guess it would be in their own interest too. They can’t be happy that people are having so much trouble with spams and fake accounts. I think that Facebook are doing a lot more to limit spam and fake accounts.
This is obviously a growing problem. I think twitter is well aware and are digging out the possible solutions from their assembled team of masterminds!
Identity verification seems a bit over the top, im sure they will reduce the number of bot spammers another way.
Hi Jacob
I really hope they come up with a better solution soon. It seems like Facebook is a lot better to avoid fake accounts, but of cause also a lot more restrictive.
I agree with you, Thomas. Twitter can really do better and should be doing better sooner rather than later when the problem of spam is more difficult to address.
Andy of Commentluv was able to provide a solution for spammy comments with his GASP and it made many bloggers happy.
I’m sure that someone somewhere can think up a solution for spammy tweeters and fake accounts.
Hi Thomas ,
Yes – I do agree. Not having automated tweets the world full was not bad enough – now the people create fake accounts and have them automate posting feeds. I do agree, Twitter should try their best to stop this – And hopefully IPv6 might the answer…..
Hi Anton
Let’s hope they soon will do something effective about it.
I also have problem with fake followers..
Hi Emma
I think that most real people on Twitter have these days. That is very frustrating.
Well, I think you are right.
but spammers always find a way
In time they will find new ways to automate their scripts. That is why Twitter should make changes to their signup procedure once in a while to make it harder for spammers and better for real users.
Accepted accounts are classical, but you and I cannot acquire our accounts admitted by twitter. I almost every day adds mentioned in tweets,That are single delivering me a bond and nothing else. When I am bearing on what else this consumer is tweeting it is equable, although with diverse twitter names mentioned
Thomas: I’m right there with you on this topic! Not only do they waste our time, but they can (as you mention) skew our stats & affect findings when we’re trying to determine target markets. I agree that there should be some sort of “validation” or “confirmation” process that could be integrated into Twitter, perhaps similar to “confirmed” accounts on PayPal. Maybe this is the beginning of a grassroots movement!
Hi Lynn
I really hope that Twitter will soon do something about annoying issue. I think it should be possible to limit the huge among of spam flooding Twitter these days.
I like how twitter has a new ad system, theyre stepping up their game. The biggest thing though is the fake accounts need to go, they need to cleanse.
Accepted accounts are classical, but you and I cannot acquire our accounts admitted by twitter. I almost every day adds discussed in tweets,That are single delivering me a bond and nothing else. When I am bearing on what else this consumer is tweeting it is equable, although with diverse twitter names discussed
Quite a nice article describing the bright and darker sides of Twitter. Of-course, fake account will always be there and it should be controlled. However, this control drive shouldn’t compromise the general users experience.
Thanks for the article. It’s hard to understand the motivation of spammers. Too much time and too little consideration for other people is probably a factor. The old phrase “get a life” might apply to some of them.
When you encourage spammers and allow them to spam, then they will definitely pollute internet world, twitter is on hit list in spamming with the announcing of social media signals in google seo, hopefully twitter will make necessary changes to prevent the spammers.
I really hope that Twitter soon will do something serious to address this matter.
I couldn’t agree more on this. I do hope that Twitter finds a way to deal with spammers, I wonder if my followers are even genuine. Thankfully for the verified profiles of famous people though. As there are a lot of spammers using these famous people’s names.