(Chris Parker, Headline USA) At a time when Twitter’s value is facing scrutiny over “bots,” a new audit reveals that half of the accounts following Joe Biden’s POTUS account are fake, reported Townhall.
The conclusion was reached at the end of an audit conducted by software company SparkToro. It found that of Biden’s 22 million Twitter followers, about 11 million are fake accounts.
The criterion analyzed such metrics as location data, profile images, new users, and dormant accounts, among others (25 factors in all). It also revealed that about 70% of Elon Musk’s followers are fake.
The audit comes as part of Musk’s deal to buy the social media giant. During the deal, he expressed concerns that there may be more fake accounts than the 5% claimed by Twitter. This audit alone has already proven that number false.
While the deal is on hold, Musk has not yet verified whether he will cancel his Twitter bid. It also has not yet been revealed whether these revelations will lower the asking price of buying Twitter.
However, it’s unlikely that Musk will still pay the original $44 billion price. As recently as Friday, he announced that the deal was “temporarily on hold pending details.”
The number of fake followers is especially concerning for the Biden administration, given its already declining audience. The official count peaked at 30 million users almost a year ago. The POTUS Twitter account boasted 33 million followers under Trump. It had nearly 14 million followers when Trump replaced Obama.
Reports indicate that Biden did not inherit Trump’s followers, so the rapid increase left some analysts feeling suspicious. Biden’s personal account was found to have 14.7 million fake followers out of 34 million.
Musk believes that about 20% of Twitter’s audience is comprised of fake accounts, but also stated that the number is likely higher. Without an accurate number, Musk said, advertisers can’t feel confident in the platform’s true value.
