On Friday, a notable number of users experienced a decline in their followers as the Elon Musk-led social media platform initiated a crackdown on bots. This move came in response to a surge of spam and pornographic bots that had inundated the platform in recent months, leaving many users puzzled.
One user lamented, "I saw a drop of 48 followers following Elon's bot and troll purge – representing less than 0.002 percent of my total following." Another expressed similar sentiments, stating, "I noticed a decrease of 6 followers today. Could it be that bot accounts are finally being removed?"
Musk had previously announced the commencement of a systematic purge targeting bots and trolls. "Please reach out to me or @XEng if genuine accounts are being wrongfully suspended," urged the billionaire, further emphasizing, "X Corp will vigorously pursue those responsible and ensure they face legal consequences."
In response to the exodus of bots, one user quipped, "To the countless bots bidding farewell today, your absence will not be mourned."
The safety account of X also confirmed the initiation of a "significant, proactive initiative aimed at eliminating accounts that contravene our Rules against platform manipulation and spam." Consequently, fluctuations in follower counts were anticipated.
X has refrained from disclosing the exact number of bots currently present on the platform. However, in 2022, Musk had vowed, "We shall conquer the spam bots or perish in the attempt," showcasing his determination to combat this persistent issue.
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