The truth about Twitter and Spam

The truth is that if you want to use Twitter or any other social networking site you have to accept that there will always be a high level of spam involved. It is like a bad smell that you can not runaway from and is much easier to catch it head on.

I have no problem with receiving a new direct message from a new follower and in my eyes it does not reflect spamming in the slightest. However if this person opened twenty different Twitter accounts with the exact same picture and direct message using a different name I would take offence to this. Just like when you receive a Twitter Direct Message that is more than 140 characters long.

Here is an example of one that I received just this morning highlighting the need for tighter control of the amount of characters involved:

As you would expect from me I have hidden there username not because I don’t want to name and shame them because I do. It is just that I do not want them to have free publicity as this is what this stunt will provide them with. Imagine if you are not working in the internet marketing industry like many are on Twitter this would be your personal nightmare. For those kind of people they enjoy Twitter purely for pleasure and they don’t want it ruined by someone that can not come up with something decent in 140 characters or less.

The above image is just an example of how people are taking advantage of software and now spamming people through much more than 140 characters. I signed up to Twitter to enjoy the small replies that I am able to make and the direct message feature should be exactly the same. I am sure Twitter doesn’t agree with it either but unless people are reported there is simply no way forward.

You should also be very wary about these kind of messages as many of them are from dodgy sites. The first time I followed someone back after receiving a long message back in January I found myself the victim of my Twitter account being hacked into. This might not have been connected and I can’t prove it was but the chances are there will have been a connection.

If you have found some amazing software that allows you to send out a longer automated direct message remember there are a lot of people out there like me that blocks every single new one that they receive and it will just tarnish your reputation. Many hate the idea of a direct message being sent to them in the first place so imagine what they make of these.

The truth about twitter and spam is rather hard to take, just remember to block them as you don’t want to be part of their following or increase their presence on Twitter.

To your online success

Samantha

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