I know there is no such word as Twutter. For silliness in the news , it would appear that millions of followers from dozens of prominent Twitter accounts have disappeared in recent days. The company faces growing criticism over the proliferation of fake accounts and scrutiny from federal and state inquiries into the shadowy firms that sell fake followers.
The people losing followers include an array of entertainers, entrepreneurs, athletes and media figures, many of whom bought Twitter followers or artificial engagement from a company called Devumi. Its business practices were detailed in a New York Times article on Saturday describing a vast trade in fake followers and fraudulent engagement on Twitter and other social media sites, often using personal information taken from real users. Twitter said on Saturday that it would take action against Devumi’s practices. A Twitter spokeswoman on Tuesday declined to comment about whether the company was purging fake accounts.
The singer Clay Aiken, the actor John Leguizamo and the reality TV star Lisa Rinna have each lost a substantial number of followers, according to a review of their accounts. So has Martha Lane Fox, a British businesswoman and Twitter board member. Other well-known users have taken to Twitter in recent days to complain of lost followers, suggesting that a broad swath of people may be affected, not just Devumi customers.
At least 65,000 fake followers were bought for Martha Lane Fox, a Twitter board member. Ms. Lane Fox blamed purchases on a rogue employee. What exactly is a rogue employee?
The company’s heightened campaign against bots comes as federal lawmakers and law enforcement officials in two states are scrutinizing Devumi and its competitors online, where numerous websites sell fake followers or engagement on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms, and Facebook.
On Tuesday, Senators Jerry Moran of Kansas and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut — the chairman and the ranking member, respectively, of the Senate subcommittee on consumer protection and data security — asked the Federal Trade Commission to begin an investigation into the “deceptive and unfair marketing practices” of Devumi and similar companies. While Devumi promises customers “100 Percent Active, English Followers,” virtually all of the followers and retweets the company provides are fake, The Times found. Twitter prohibits buying followers of any kind.
The Florida attorney general, Pam Bondi, a Republican, has also begun an investigation into Devumi, joining Eric T. Schneiderman, the New York attorney general and a Democrat, who announced on Saturday that he would begin reviewing whether the company had violated state laws against impersonation and commercial deception.
The Times found evidence that the information of Twitter users in every state — including thousands of people in Florida and New York — had been copied onto bots sold by Devumi or rival companies.
Devumi was based in Florida until recently but lists a New York City address on its website. The company’s owner, German Calas, also lives in Florida.
“Based on the New York Times article, we have opened an investigation into these very serious allegations,” Ms. Bondi said in an interview Tuesday. “We would encourage any citizens who believe they have been a victim of this scam to please contact the Florida attorney general’s office immediately.”
Mr. Calas did not respond to an email seeking comment. But on Monday, Devumi’s parent company, Bytion, filed paperwork in Florida indicating that it had moved its principal place of business to Colorado. Jared Stark, a lawyer for Mr. Calas’s business, said in an email that both companies had relocated to Denver earlier in January, a move he described as “in the works for some time.” He declined to comment on the investigations into Devumi.
A reporter visiting Bytion’s Denver office on Tuesday found it largely empty, save for a few boxes against one wall and patio furniture on a balcony. Gerald Sexton, Bytion’s director of people and culture, declined to comment and said that Mr. Calas was not available.
A few minutes later, a process server arrived at the office to deliver a subpoena from Mr. Schneiderman’s office. A spokeswoman for Mr. Schneiderman declined to comment.
The disclosure of dozens of Devumi’s customers in entertainment, politics and business has sparked a renewed debate — often carried out on Twitter itself — about the prevalence of fraud and fakery on social media, where tens of millions of fake users still roam.
The Chicago Sun-Times announced on Monday that it would suspend publishing reviews by the newspaper’s film critic, Richard Roeper, while conducting a review of his social media following. Mr. Roeper bought at least 25,000 followers from Devumi, according to records reviewed by The Times, and an analysis of his account indicates that many of his nearly quarter-million Twitter followers are fake accounts.
Both Twitter and Facebook verify the identity of some celebrities, politicians and other high-profile users and include blue check marks on their account pages, in part to prevent scam artists from impersonating them. But a vast majority of accounts are not vetted in the same way.
Moreover, Twitter does not require that accounts be associated with a real person. Mark Cuban, a prominent technology investor, tweeted on Monday that it was time for Twitter to change that policy, and for Facebook to tighten its requirements. Mr. Cuban elaborated over email, saying that automated accounts, or bots, and impersonation on Twitter had made him less enthusiastic about using the platform.
“I don’t think your user handle or profile has to reflect your actual name or picture,” Mr. Cuban said. “I do think Twitter would benefit from requiring every account(s) being tied back to an individual. If someone wants to run a bot account, great, but identify a person behind it.”
Some federal and state lawmakers have called for more stringent laws regulating social media companies, in part to combat the epidemic of fake accounts. Many fake accounts are deployed by Russia and other countries seeking to influence American politics, but others are used by marketing companies to influence consumers and even policymakers.
Marc Levine, a California state assemblyman from outside San Francisco, introduced legislation on Monday that would require social media companies doing business in California to link every account to a human being. The legislation would also require that social media companies allow only human account holders to place advertisements on their platforms.
There are any number of interest groups looking to shape public opinion,” Mr. Levine said in an interview. “We’ve seen all of this exploited and millions of people manipulated.”
Thank you New York Times/technology.
And all this time I thought if you are on Face Book or Twitter or whatever, there was a real person behind it. I guess not. I would not have the vaguest idea how to message on Twitter, what’s up with the # sign. I always thought that was for numbers. Guess I am wrong again. We started out having to go on Twitter at work, and that of course caused me to create an account. Then it was decided, no don’t have to go there. I have not the vaguest idea my user name or password, and am not going on some search for it, don’t care. 
My personal opinion is that social media has done more harm that good. You know the road to hell is paved with good intentions. These were supposed to be news worthy sites, and instead it has become a competition of who has the most followers, like who cares, and in some instances with the bullying that has gone on and inappropriate comments made about someone, well we know what happened there, we had kids committing suicide. Then we have for whatever reason, those who give out way too much information, when they are vacationing, where they are at the present time, and how long they will be gone. Hello thieves and robbers, are you paying attention? I am not at home and the key is under the mat. Sheesh. And let us not forget the invitation to be friends with people one doesn’t even know. That’s a tip off right there, or it should be. At present I have a list of just men, 20 of them and I have to now go in and say hell no, I don’t know who you are. 
There are those who use face book to keep up with friends and relatives who live far away and one can send recent pictures and what’s new in their lives, new job, new home, new pet, etc. This is an inexpensive way to share. Those who share news worthy items are to be commended, sharing latest information about the environment, politics, science, medical, business, travel etc. I thank you for this. And being an animal lover from the get go, ok I love cute pictures of pets. I confess.
I personally do not care what someone had for lunch and what they are cooking for dinner, or where they are going to get these items they need to prepare the meal, nor do I care how long it takes and who is going to be there at this meal, it is impossible for me to care less. And do you really think I care what color nail polish you are wearing, and I am certainly not going to choose between this one or that one. I don’t care. To keep from hurting anyone’s feelings, I have simply unfriended, that’s what it’s called, and just hit a button to no longer receive any type of inane information they want to share, not interested, the choice of nail polish colors did it. I am done with this, and yes she has been a customer here. Oh well 
I am forced to be on this because I have to daily do a blog about our business, and therefore I resort to what cute videos others have put on there so I can share it on our store blog, because Face book followers have the attention span of a gnat. And heaven forbid you do talk about an item in the news that is worth printing. These people are gone after the first sentence.
I realize it has its place and for many, they feel a connection to the outside world, family, friends and it keeps some from feeling so isolated.
The surprising thing is potential employers actually feel this is important and there is something wrong with you if you are not on there. Like the nurse who applied for the job and there was a picture of her gulping down magaritas at some bar and she was clearly having a good time and drunk. Does this mean she does it all the time, of course not, just don’t have these pictures available for a potential employer. 
So after all is said and done, Twitter, hash tag this#, is it in the right place? Sigh
lifes creative process 