Twitter Cracks Down on Bots and Fake Accounts

Twitter is intensifying its fight against spam and disinformation, purging millions of fake accounts and bots. The company’s new policies aim to combat disinformation campaigns, particularly ahead of the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, where social media manipulation has become a growing concern.

The crackdown follows increasing pressure from lawmakers and users demanding greater accountability from social media platforms. Twitter has been actively identifying suspicious behavior, such as accounts that post identical messages, rapidly follow/unfollow users, or engage in coordinated harassment campaigns. As part of the effort, Twitter has removed or restricted the reach of thousands of automated accounts that were used to amplify misleading content.

While the cleanup is necessary, it has sparked debate. Some legitimate users have seen their follower counts drop drastically, and activists worry about overzealous enforcement leading to censorship. Twitter insists the measures are essential for keeping the platform authentic and fostering real conversations, but striking the right balance remains a challenge.