SAN FRANCISCO (CNET) — As part of its continuing efforts to purge the chaff from its social network, on Wednesday Twitter announced it would be removing locked accounts from follower counts. They will still be tracked in the monthly and daily active user metrics, so you’ll just look a little less impressive to the public. Locked accounts are those that Twitter has locked the owner out of, either temporarily or permanently, for reasons such as suspect behavior that indicates the account might have been compromised. We are committed to building trust and encouraging healthy conversation on Twitter. Follower counts should be meaningful and accurate. We are removing locked accounts from follower counts. — Twitter (@Twitter) July 11, 2018 In a blog post , Vijaya Gadde ( @vijaya ), Twitter’s legal, policy and trust and safety lead, explained, “In most cases, these accounts were created by real people but we cannot confirm that the original person who opened the account still has control and access to it.” This update goes to bolster “account credibility” since follower counts are public but the other metrics aren’t. For instance, a New York Times investigation in January found companies that make money by inflating the number of followers for celebrities, business executives and even one of Twitter’s own board members. Twitter responded by purging millions of fake accounts . It still purges a million accounts every day . What does this mean for your follower count? Most people will see a change of four followers or fewer; others with larger follower counts may experience a more significant drop. Read more. https://t.co/BNPFKU7iME — Twitter (@Twitter) July 11, 2018
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Fewer Followers? You’re Not Alone: Twitter’s Cracking Down
