Twitter Search Overrun By Spammers
Today I attempted to use Twitter Search tool only to discover that Spammers managed to overrun it with Spam based on trending topics. I don’t like to be a doom and gloom but it doesn’t look good for twitter ability to control it.
Basically tool became unusable!
And here is what I mean…
Take a look at image below:
As you can see on screen shot out of 7 comments only 2 appear to be a valid Twitter Stream and one of them is in Spanish (I think) – making the search unusable. Looks like spammers identify Trending Topics and then simply post spam messages and include all the trending topics in it to ensure they get as much exposure as possible.
I’m interested to see how Twitter will handle it as this can effectively shut down their Search Tool.
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28 Responses to “Twitter Search Overrun By Spammers”
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[...] Twitter Search Overrun By Spammers (howtospoter.com) [...]
Grrr….. I really really hate spammers. It flooded my mailbox, and now twitter.
Vince´s last blog ..Sports Clinic: A Way To Reach Your Community
Spammers are gaining great speed and i hope they are made to stop. Twitter is making great inroads and they are bringing new new Plug in so that they help stopping spamming.
I have seen the same thing. It is odd how they don’t have search better integrated with Twitter overall. Taking those two facts together I am guessing they see the spam problem and are trying to fix that before integrating search more completely. I sure hope that is the explanation.
Did you catch the Tech Crunch article on that? http://tinyurl.com/m3tgx8 Mashable also wrote about it – http://tinyurl.com/l8xmp5 .
Hope it gets fixed soon!
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog ..How to make gratuitous profits with CommentLuv longterm – Part 1
Thanks Barbara, no I didn’t see those thanks for sharing! It is a big problem and if not addressed – trends will become spam haven
This is a nice idea of promoting it with twitter.But spamming has increased so you need to keep a watch..thanks for reminding.
What a shame, seems most good things have to be scammed these days.
But watch, when Twitter gets a handle on this there will be a loud cry….FOUL “How to Beat the Twitter Slap”
Scott Thrall´s last blog ..Link Building in Overdrive
It was only a matter of time before this happened. I am surprised that this did not happen sooner. I’m waiting to IF twitter will be able to stop this. I think we all know that they wont be able to stop all of the spam.
Mike´s last blog ..JBL GTO1014 Subwoofer Review
I have been about this a lot and i know that Twitter will get safe through this and will surprise many people. I hope people will come to know about it.
Twitter repeatedly shows us that they can’t handle being such a huge website. The viruses spread through twitter, deleting legitimate accounts and now this? Come one twitter, either sell the company or work on it better!
Kreskowki´s last blog ..Krecik ogrodnikiem
Hi Folks.
I don’t have a twitter account, personally – but this spammer problem is rearing its ugly head everywhere.
I think it is a sign of the times. Desperate people are buing sold old chesnuts by irresponsible scammers for a couple of dollars and they are told to go forth and get rich.
My mailbox, on three separate accounts, has seen a recent surge on the old penile enlargement pitch – and these things are in several foreign languages as well as english – for one example.
Mortgage foreclosures are still escalating, unemployment is at an all time high, and more mortgage lenders are poised to file bankruptcy. More bail-outs will not do them any good.
Hang in there and work around it. There is more to come.
sorry – typing flub
second para should read — being sold old chesnuts –
we all are the twitters & we know the magic of it how them world is already crazy about it & it will increase more and more!
Hi Alex
Well- What a Surprise!
This to me is one of the downsides to Web 2
What starts off as a good idea and a new approach – soon develops into scamming and people trying to abuse the system!
I feel sorry for Twitter and hope that they have the resources to deal with the spammers (UGHHHH!)
May they ‘rot in hell’ for spoiling everything for the majority of internet marketeers who play by the rules.
regards
Graham in UK
P.S. I don’t have a Twitter account (Yet!)
hi everybody!
I just want to say that the in our war against spamm the winner is … unfortunately SPAMM !I don’t have a twitter acount but I wanted to cause many of my friends have;but…after reading your article I can say I’m dissapointed.
emo´s last blog ..Emo can be short for “emotional.”
Spammers tend to ruin everything they touch. I had to shut down a gaming bulletin board I ran due to spammers! I hope Twitter is able to resolve the mess!
Thanks for sharing Alex. By the way, the other language in your photo above is Portuguese – not Spanish – My wife speaks both languages!
Cheers – Mark
Mark Krusch´s last blog ..Let Them Eat Fish … errr Cake!
Thanks for sharing Mark! I always get confused between Spanish and Portuguese
I’ve mistakenly followed people who chose to follow me – just to find out that 90% of my friends timeline is filled up with spam from these people.
Brad Officer´s last blog ..How long does it take to sell a waterfront home in Jacksonville
you have given the right info about the twitter but yesterday i read in newspaper that the twitter in the asian area is hacked in a major quantity ^& the hacking trick is also very old so i want to say that the twitter might have forgot the security so for i am informing you to be careful & save any important info with a very good care!
They are spamming not only search results in Twitter but the whole site. It looks like 90% of Twitter profiles is created by spammers and Twitter seems to be not doing much about this. Good thing is that Google is interested in buying Twitter and if they do I’m sure they will start fighting spam at Twitter just like they did with YouTube.
Twitter is gaining power and i think that in no time it will be the most powerful social networking site. The way it is developed in past years is quite exceptional. Spamming has become a normal thing and i am sure that the activity of spammers has become less these days. As many new Plug ins are now used, this is the reason for the lessening of spamming.
manuel´s last blog ..Healthy Eating Habits: Dieter Dinners.
I’ve noticed the same thing. I used to subscribe to an RSS feed of the Twitter search results for one of my keywords so I could try and answer people’s questions. I’ve given up looking at it any more though as it is just full of junk and takes too much time to sift through to find any real content.
Cheers, Chloe
Chloe Wilson´s last blog ..The Busy Parents Guide To Green Toys For Boys
It is hard for Twitter to determine which one is spam and not. Unless Twitter change search algorithm.
Ruri´s last blog ..Save Time And Improve Your Lifepath Unlimited Business Through Managing Your Mailbox Effectively.
twitter is today’s no. 1 social portals & approx. all of us know very well about the twitter!you visit any blog or site you will definitely get the links of twitter after all it has covered the marketing area on the internet so if somebody hacks it then it is really a bad topic for the twitter they should check their security systems of it!
Susana´s last blog ..Spanish Property in Nerja Overview from Spanish Hot Properties July 2009
I know Twitter is the new blog, but I really don’t think it can compete!
People really don’t like using email, IM, forums or blogs anymore? We need new technology, which is more simplified and usually not as thought out, to replace existing things?
Oh well.
neceros´s last blog ..Personal: Selling my laptop…
I try to steer clear from Twitter. No true value can be found there, just a bunch of false friends and followers.
Stephen, I will have to disagree with you on this one – Twitter has huge value if you use it correctly. I know a few people who get most of their business from Twitter, not that I would personally rely so heavily on any single platform – but it works for them! And I also get my share of business, contacts and networking from twitter, often with people you will not be able to reach otherwise