Following WhatsApp 's efforts to curb fake news, it's Twitter's turn to take action and delete fake accounts on its platform. As reported by the New York Times , Twitter will begin disabling "tens of millions" of fake accounts from now on.
The move is aimed at restoring users' trust in the platform, following a rise in the number of fake followers acquired through deceptive means. Many accounts appear to have "bought" followers to increase their influence and social standing.
As a result of this move, those who have attracted their followers through fraudulent means and users who are followed by fake accounts are likely to see a significant reduction in their follower count. It is expected that the mass deletion of fake accounts will reduce the platform's total follower count by 6%.
According to an estimate by Twitter, the average user will lose up to four followers from their list. It goes without saying that the number can be higher for accounts that have "bought" fake followers.
Twitter's vice president of security, Del Harvey, said: "We don't want to encourage follower buying and fake accounts, because they are not an accurate measure of someone's influence on the platform or their impact on the world."
The move has already begun, and according to The Washington Post, US President Donald Trump saw his number of followers drop by 100,000. Barack Obama's number of followers also dropped by 400,000.
