28 Jan Twitter Spam – Are you next?
We all knew it was simply a matter of time. There was no way something as popular as Twitter could go without being plagued by a spamming issue- something all of our favorite social networking sites have experienced. Mashable’s Adam Ostrow predicted it in March of 2008, but it’s most recently becoming a major problem.
The great thing about Twitter is that , while we find this to be a nuisance, we can simply choose not to follow them back. Regrettably, this issue may cause some tweeters to reconsider whom they follow and real people wanting to engage in real conversation may be over-looked. Fortunately, Twitter is taking action by allowing users to report possible spammers and have also started a blacklist in-case you’re questioning the integrity of a follower.
Unfortunately, spammers are going manual and are taking over some more well-known tweeters’ user IDs, as our very own Brian Chappell has experienced first-hand. By simply adding a “_” behind the user’s ID, a spammer can use his/her popularity to promote their products. Potentially, this could have a very negative impact on the reputation a tweeter has worked months to build.
Check out the screenshot below to see another example of twitter spam. There is one way to know if this is the real Brian Chappell or spam (besides the “_” after the user name of course). The “following” to “follwers” ratio is extremely skewed- typically the two numbers would vary by a much smaller amount.
So just remember, no social network is safe. But don’t abandon your favorite networks, like Twitter. Just take the time to consider the individuals you choose to follow and that follow you.
