If Twitter users see a decline in their follower count, it's because Elon Musk is purging spam and fraudulent accounts from the microblogging service.
What Happened: Musk took to Twitter to announce that the platform is removing bots and fake accounts, so users' follower count could drop.
Twitter is purging a lot of spam/scam accounts right now, so you may see your follower count drop
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 1, 2022
See Also: Elon Musk Says Twitter Should Feel Noticeably Faster Now: Here's Why
Why It's Important: Before acquiring Twitter in a highly-publicized deal, Musk said that defeating bots would be a priority and they'll beat the spam bots or die trying.
He also accused Twitter — before finalizing the deal — of inaccurate bot representation in public filings, saying that 20% of the accounts on the platform were fake.
Since Musk started spearheading Twitter, the microblogging site has introduced various features to live by his promise. However, the battle against spammers, bots and fake accounts is facing challenges due to a barrage of misinformation and impersonations.
The revamped Twitter Blue version that enables anyone to gain a verification badge by paying a monthly premium of $8 led to the platform becoming a hotbed of verified-but-fake accounts.
Musk himself wasn't spared and quickly suspended accounts mimicking him.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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