Platform Manipulation Part III: Red Flags
In the third article of the Platform Manipulation series, we have already learned about Astroturfing and Rug-pull, as well as how to protect ourselves from these practices. Instead of providing definitions and past cases, this article focuses on practical content with real examples.
As previously discussed, Twitter bots are automated accounts capable of executing various tasks such as posting tweets, retweeting, liking, and following other accounts. They can manipulate social media conversations by amplifying specific messages and disseminating misinformation or disinformation. Based on this information, we can assess behavioral patterns and account characteristics collected in a checklist.
Use the list wisely
Identifying Twitter bots can be challenging since they are programmed to imitate human behavior and appear as authentic accounts. Although there are several red flags that can indicate a bot, they are not always definitive. In some cases, there may be generic accounts that do not exhibit all the signs. Therefore, it is crucial to go through the checklist and consider all the red flags before making a judgment on an account.
Fortunately, twitteraudit.com is an excellent resource for bot protection, offering detection and blocking services. If you looking to identify highly suspicious accounts and projects, it’s recommended to use a professional service like TwitterAudit. Nevertheless, for those up for a challenge, below are some techniques that may assist in identifying potential bots on Twitter:
Disclaimer: The following examples are based on public profiles and do not represent the views or opinions of any particular individual or organization.
1, Follower number volatility
An unmistakable sign of botting is when a project or influencer experiences a sudden surge of followers within a short timeframe, only to lose a significant portion of them just a few days or weeks later in a similar fashion. Such spikes in follower count are clear indicators of Twitter botnet activity.
2, Blank profile
To avoid setting up a real profile picture, many Twitter bots use the default profile image.
Twitter bots typically have very little personal information on their profiles, or their information is nonsensical or generic.
It is worth noting that while most Twitter botnets today are more sophisticated and tend to buy obsolete accounts in bulk to pass the eye test, fake accounts can still be identified by randomly generated usernames and inconsistencies in bio/name.
3, Abnormal follower-to-following ratio
If a Twitter account is following substantially more users than the number of followers it has, there is a high probability of being a bot. Nonetheless, we must acknowledge that most Twitter users primarily follow news and may not be active, so such accounts may belong to real humans. However, including this criterion in the checklist is very reasonable.
4, Retweets only and repetitive content
Twitter bots frequently post duplicate content, often copying and pasting the same messages or tweets repeatedly. An evident indication of a spamming bot is the constant retweeting of random tweets without generating original content. 
Some sophisticated botnets purchase or create bot accounts with a single pinned tweet to conceal their fake identity and mimic authentic accounts. Nonetheless, if you discover several accounts retweeting the same content repeatedly, it is highly likely that these are bot accounts.
5, Unreal engagement ratios
All social media moguls agree that engagement numbers are the most critical metrics in Twitter marketing. In Twitter circles, the rule of thumb is that a 10% engagement/view ratio for any tweet is already excellent and rare.
When you come across something that deviates significantly from this benchmark, you must be on high alert.
6, Clusters of fake followers
One of the indicative signs of bot activity in a project or for an influencer is the presence of clusters of bot followers. These bots often come in waves to artificially inflate the popularity of the project or influencer. By examining the follower lists, you can often identify patterns of bot activity during specific timeframes.
However, it’s very important to refer to the checklist mentioned above initially to comprehend the traits of bot behavior, or else these bot clusters may go unnoticed.
Conclusion
First and foremost, we recommend using professional tools such as twitteraudit.com to identify fake accounts and bots. This tool is accurate and saves time, allowing you to focus on other tasks. If you prefer to do the work manually, it is essential to review all red flags before making a judgment on any account that you find suspicious.
If you want to know how Astroturfing scams work, check out our first article in the series!
Also, if you are interested in Rug-Pull scams, click here to read the second article in the series!