If you’re an avid user of X, the recent announcement from the platform’s Safety account might have caught your attention. Brace yourself, because your follower count might be shaken up. Why? Well, it’s all part of a massive cleanup operation to rid the platform of spammers and bots.
Today, we're kicking off a significant, proactive initiative to eliminate accounts that violate our Rules against platform manipulation and spam. While we aim for accuracy in the accounts we remove, we're casting a wide net to ensure X remains secure and free of bots. As a…
— Safety (@Safety) April 4, 2024
X isn’t taking this lightly. They’ve appointed new leaders to their safety team, with Kylie McRoberts stepping up as Head of Safety and Yale Cohen joining as Head of Brand Safety and Advertiser Solutions. These appointments signal X’s commitment to tightening the reins on platform manipulation and spam.
But why the sudden crackdown? It turns out spam has been a persistent thorn in X’s side, despite CEO Elon Musk’s vocal promises to tackle it head-on. The problem has been exacerbated by staffing shortages and leadership vacuums within the safety team. Musk’s attempts, including introducing paid verification, have fallen short in deterring spammers. Bots with verified status have been caught red-handed, engaging in automated replies to unsuspecting users.
The situation has only worsened with the rise of spam promoting adult content. Explicit replies littering the platform direct users to follow dubious links, painting a grim picture of the spam epidemic.
Hard days for X
Musk’s concerns over the transparency of bot activity during a proposed multi-billion dollar deal further underscore the severity of the issue. Despite boasting about record traffic, questions loom large about the authenticity of these numbers, given the prevalence of bot and spam activity.
In response, X’s Safety team is gearing up for a massive cleanup, casting a wide net to weed out offending accounts. It’s a proactive move aimed at ensuring a safer and more authentic platform experience for all users.
But what does this mean for you? Well, you might see a dip in your follower count as X swings its ban hammer. It’s a small price to pay for a cleaner, more genuine online environment. And if you find yourself inadvertently caught in the crossfire, fear not. X has provided an avenue for affected users to appeal, demonstrating its commitment to fairness and transparency throughout this process.
So, as X takes decisive action against spam, prepare yourself for potential fluctuations in your follower count. It’s a step in the right direction towards reclaiming the integrity of the platform and fostering a community built on trust and authenticity.
All images are generated by Eray Eliaçık/Bing
