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Trending: Can You Fake a Trend on Twitter?

Can You Fake a Trend on Twitter?

02/03/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Trending, Can You Fake a Trend on Twitter?

Companies in Saudi Arabia are offering to artificially boost hashtags.

Some companies in Saudi Arabia are offering to artificially boost the popularity of trends on Twitter. Automated "bot" accounts are used to make a hashtag appear successful.

“Grilled Lamb Delivery” was trending – but why would so many people talk about something so routine and mundane?
As it turns out, one of the top trends in Saudi Arabia was being promoted by automated accounts – or “bots”. And it wasn’t an isolated occurrence.
This week we find out how companies make it look like lots of real people are talking about a subject online. And what it means for Twitter’s list of top trends.
We also bought our own hashtag – and found out how many accounts we could get to tweet out “Congratulations Fahima”!

Presenter: Anisa Subedar
Reporter: Fahima Abdulrahman
Studio Managers: Rod Farquar and James Beard

Picture caption: A cartoon bot army. Automated accounts have artificially boosted hashtags in Saudi Arabia.
Picture credit: BBC

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