Digging Deeper

How 'Follower Spam' Infiltrated Twitter -- and How to Stop It

by Mark Glaser

When using the micro-blogging service Twitter, by default you get email notices whenever anyone signs up to "follow" you (when you follow someone on Twitter, their Twitter posts, or "tweets," display on your main Twitter page, along with Tweets from everyone else you follow). A few weeks back, I noticed that I was getting inundated with new followers with names...

• October 23, 2008
• 32 comments

AdvertisingShift

Give Me the Ad That I Want

by Mark Glaser

Every day, I am inundated with unwanted advertisements. If I turn on my car radio to a commercial channel, the ads start squawking at me. If I turn on my TV and am not quick enough to the DVR, the ads start flashing at me. Today's San Francisco Chronicle newspaper had its front page wrapped in a movie ad. And even though I've changed my email address recently, the spam messages for buying hot stocks NOW!! are relentless.

• March 2, 2007
• 2 comments