A universal truth about the internet is that if there’s anything, and I mean anything, that gains popularity as a communications medium, it will be spammed mercilessly.
Such is the case with Twitter. Currently it’s being bombarded with spam. And it’s set to get worse.
I have to admit that I’ve been drawing away from the service for that very reason. Originally I would post a few messages to the service daily. But then I kept getting "followers" there were nothing but spam and it’s outright irritating.
It’s so irritating in fact that I don’t even recommend it now. I used to say, "Hey, try this out. It’s better than Facebook and easier to use once you get a client like Twhirl or Tweetdeck." But I don’t do that anymore. Not unless you set your account to "protected". But there’s no fun in that because you’re supposed to use it as a social medium, i.e. it’s meant to be public.
Hate to say it, but the guys and girls in the PCMech Forums were right. Twitter is useless. Being the spam farm that it is now and has been proven so, that confirms it.
Maybe i’m not following what you’re saying exactly Rich; I don’t have alot of followers but get some occasionally I think might be spammers. How would one’s Twitter account get bombarded with spam if you don’t follow them back? Regardless of who follows me, I don’t receive their updates unless I follow them back. And if I want to follow someone myself, I shy away from those who have a huge amount of updates since I don’t want updates every few minutes from one account, which does happen, thus the spamming I suppose. Anyways, how is your account getting spammed with all those updates if you are not following them, regardless of who follow you?
@Steve – My thoughts are the same as yours. Unless you follow them back, what difference does it make if a spammer follows you? If you’re not following them, they can’t DM you, and you won’t see their updates. All it is is another digit in your Followers column.
And if they’re really bothering you, why not block them?
This is why:
http://blog.twitter.com/2008/08/making-progress-on-spam.html
There is a legitimate problem with “follow spam”. And no matter how many you block, there will be another spammer right around the corner.
If spam worries you that much then it sounds like it’s time for you to give up using the internet altogether. While you’re at it you can take down your mailbox, throw away your TV set, and black out all your windows so you don’t get any spam through those media too. Stay indoors in case you see any spam on billboards or in shop windows. Never answer your door: It might be a salesperson with some spam, or religious callers with Bible-spam. Disconnect your telephone in case of any telecanvassing spam, and bin your mobile to avoid text-spam.
Unless you plan to stop using email and carry out the above actions; don’t stop using Twitter just because there are spammers on it.
Simple solution? Let them follow you. Unless you follow them back, you aren’t going to get bombarded w/ messages from them
That’s what I do at least… So far it’s working
http://www.twitpocalypse.com/
It looks like Twitter is terminal – 8½ days left.