In the News
In Twitter’s spam removal is up 214 percent compared to 2017, Shannon Liao discusses Twitter’s increase in spam removal on the platform. Liao explains Twitter’s suspension policy for apps violating rules, and Twitter’s response to finding spam on its site. Liao also states that Twitter has reported continuous drops in the number of spam over the past few months, signalling possible success for their anti-spam initiatives.
Our Take
Spam and social media seem to go hand and hand these days –a concerning and often frustrating reality for many social media users. Twitter’s initiatives to combat the high volume of spam occurring on social media sites is reassuring, yet it is still important for daily users to approach posts and links with skepticism. No E-mail or social media spam protection will ever be 100% effective, so knowing the signs of a scam and being cautious about clicking or sharing personal information is always the safest choice.
Recommendations
So how can you protect yourself from scam on social media?
- Refrain from clicking directly on links–always search for interesting stories or sales through your search engine to verify legitimacy and find the appropriate site
- Be wary of links that request any personal information or credentials, especially if they claim to be verifying an account
- Stay up to date on news covering recent scams to see if you may have been affected