How Musk's Twitter deal foundered over 'spam bots': QuickTake
THE most talked-about corporate takeover of recent times - Elon Musk's pursuit of Twitter - has collapsed in a dispute over the role played by automated social media accounts in driving traffic on the platform. So-called spam bots frustrate users, threaten their security and make it harder for advertisers to see how many real humans are engaging with the microblogging service. Musk pulled out of the deal after accusing the company of misleading the public about the number of spam bots hiding among Twitter's genuine users. In response, Twitter management said it would take the billionaire to court to honour their US$44 billion agreement.
1. What are Twitter bots?
On Twitter, bots are automated accounts that can do the same things as real human beings: send out tweets, follow other users, and like and retweet postings by others. Spam bots use these abilities to engage in potentially deceptive, harmful or annoying activity. Spam bots programmed with a commercial motivation might tweet incessantly in an attempt to drive traffic to a website for a product or service. They can be used to spread falsehoods and promote political messages. In the 2016 presidential election, there were concerns that Russian bots helped influence the race in favour of the winner, Donald Trump. Spam bots can also disseminate links to fake giveaways and other financial scams. After announcing his plans to acquire Twitter, Musk said one of his priorities was cracking down on bots that promote scams involving cryptocurrencies.
2. Are bots allowed on Twitter?
Yes, although company policy requires such accounts to indicate that they're automated. The platform has even launched a label for "good" bots, such as @tinycarebot, an account that tweets self-care reminders. Spam bots, however, aren't permitted and the company has policies meant to combat them. Users are encouraged to report policy violations. The company locks accounts with suspicious activity. To get back in, users may have to provide additional information such as a phone number or solve a reCaptcha challenge, which entails completing a puzzle or typing in a phrase seen in an image to confirm they're human. Twitter also can permanently suspend spam accounts. Musk said in April that he wanted to improve Twitter by, among other things, "defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans".
3. Is that really possible?
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Yes, in theory. The company could make greater use of security methods like reCaptcha. It might increase deployment of multifactor authentication, a type of identity verification where users have to confirm who they are and that they're human by using another channel such as a phone or email. The company could also boost usage of machine-learning algorithms that could help identify spam bots based on their Twitter activity. In May, Musk tweeted another suggestion - asking why Twitter doesn't just call users to verify their identity - and then posted a poop emoji.
4. How many spam bots are actually on Twitter?
The company has said fake accounts and spam accounted for fewer than 5 per cent of daily active users in the fourth quarter of 2021. Musk said he believed the number of spam bots to be substantially higher than 5 per cent, without offering evidence. In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Jul 8, Musk said Twitter's failure to hand over specifics on the number of bots amounted to a "company material adverse effect" that justified terminating the takeover. If a Delaware judge disagrees, Musk may be forced to honour the deal.
5. What's at stake for Twitter?
Whatever the final outcome of the standoff with Musk, Twitter may need to make some tough decisions on spam bots. If they continue to proliferate, the service could lose users who are annoyed, concerned or even harmed by bots that enable fraud or spread misinformation. Persistent security issues could also draw more attention from regulators who want to rein in Twitter and the broader tech industry. On the flip side, a tougher crackdown on spam bots could hurt Twitter's total user count by cleaning out fake accounts, potentially denting its ad revenue.
6. Why is security such a challenge for Twitter?
Mobile apps are often more vulnerable than websites accessed through an Internet browser on a desktop computer or laptop. Web browsers like Google Chrome update and make security improvements in the background without a user realising it. When it comes to a mobile app, users often have to make the update themselves to ensure that a new security patch is in place. More established tech companies like Google and Microsoft also have large, designated security teams, putting them ahead of social media companies when it comes to security. BLOOMBERG
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