Bots vs Beings- An analysis of the Twitter Bot effects in Social Media
If you have a Twitter account, it is more than likely that you have spotted accounts that always seem to be lacking genuine human thoughts and interactions. They usually retweet and respond to the same one or few accounts as their only form of tweets, or always post at a certain time with specific wording or topic. Although there are a number of hints across these profiles, if this sounds familiar, more than likely you have spotted a Twitter bot. So what are Twitter bots you may be asking? Well to put it very simply, the New York Times describes them as a software developed to replicate and produce false accounts which are sold as "Twitter followers and retweets to celebrities, businesses and anyone who wants to appear more popular or exert influence online". The NY Times article “ The Follower Factory ” covers a very in- depth description about Twitter bots and their effects on people. There are a number of issues that come along with these fake profiles, as it
