Ever hopped on Twitter and noticed certain hashtags blowing up out of nowhere? You log in, and boom – there it is, a hashtag trending worldwide. But guess what? Not all trending topics get there naturally. Some of them are carefully crafted. Let’s dive into the intriguing world of trending topic manipulation on Twitter.
What is Trending Topic Manipulation?
Influencing popular topics on Twitter, known as trend manipulation, involves various techniques. Individuals or groups use this manipulation to get their chosen hashtag or topic featured in the trending list. A recent example of trending topic manipulation on X is the misinformation surge surrounding the Israel-Hamas war.
How Does It Happen?
There are several ways to manipulate trending topics on Twitter (X). As you can see in the image above, the number 1 trending spot is given to ‘अनसुना_पाँचवाँ_वेद‘.
However, when we dug deeper, most of the accounts employed in trending this topic where bots.
Let’s find the 3 methods that are being used to manipulate trending topics on X:
1. Using Bots and Automation
Using bots is one of the most used techniques where automated accounts can retweet, tweet, and like posts expeditiously, giving the impression that a certain topic is exceedingly popular. As per a recent report, almost 20% of the global trends are generated using bots.
During the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, old footage and AI-generated images were circulated as real-time events, further exacerbating misinformation.
2. Hiring Coordinated Groups
Occasionally, genuine individuals collaborate to inundate Twitter with tweets on a given subject, resembling an internet-based flash mob. For example, some trending topics during the conflict resulted from coordinated efforts to manipulate public perception and spread false narratives.
3. Paying Influencers and Celebrities
Influencers or celebrities are usually paid to jump on a hashtag! The huge following of these stars can push the topic into the trending zone almost instantly. This has been seen recently, where controversial accounts were promoted, leading to the spread of unverified rumors about the ongoing conflict.
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Why It Matters?
Ever wondered about the impact of trending topics on public opinion? These topics can drive news cycles, affect stock prices, and promote false narratives. To exercise critical thinking when consuming online content, one must remain aware of manipulated trends.
Types of Trending Topic Manipulation
- Positive Manipulation
Sometimes, trend manipulation is harmless or even helpful. For example, charities or social causes might use it to gain attention and support. Positive manipulation helps to seek a positive response towards a generous cause. This is why it is not assumed to be unethical.
- Negative Manipulation
Trend manipulation can be harmful when used to spread misinformation or harass individuals. The recent flood of misleading posts about the Israel-Hamas war on X is a prime example of how negative manipulation can fuel misinformation and panic.
- Extreme Manipulation
In extreme cases, trending topic manipulation can destabilize markets or influence political outcomes. The chaos around certain elections is a good example of it. As 2024 is the year of elections, elections have been conducted in 64 countries worldwide. Trending topic manipulation impacted the results in many countries by manipulating the public interest.
Identifying Manipulated Trends
As we have discussed, trending topic manipulations can directly impact a normal person’s life, so it is important to make oneself able to identify such manipulations. Identifying trending topic manipulation can help us avoid falling prey to any harmful agenda.
- Look for Patterns: If you see the same message tweeted by many accounts simultaneously, that’s a red flag.
- Check the Accounts: If the accounts have few followers, generic profile pictures, or weird usernames, they might be bots. These bots are usually hired to artificially propagate a false narrative.
- Check for Credibility: It is important to check the credibility of influencers discussing the trend. Cross-check the information through credible news sources to avoid any artificially inflated agenda.
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Impact and Consequences
The alteration of trending topics on Twitter can considerably influence various aspects of society, including shaping public opinions, steering market trends, and potentially changing political outcomes. Here are the consequences of manipulated trending topics:
Distortion of Public Opinion:
Manipulated trends can give a false impression that a topic is more popular or widely supported than it is. Trending topic manipulation on X (Twitter) can mold the public’s sentiments. Later, these sentiments can be used to achieve specific agendas that may harm the general public.
Market Influence
Businessmen and stockholders can promote trends to control share prices or moods in the stock market. These positive tweets increase the stock prices, while negative tweets decrease the stock prices. Thus, it can lead to high profits or losses and possibly influence customer trends and balance in the market.
Political Manipulation
Political actors could employ trending topic manipulation to advance a given cause, discredit rivals, or influence the outcome of an election. They can perpetuate an impression of support or opposition among the general population and affect the voters and elections, thereby negating democracy.
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Vulnerability in Twitter’s Trends Algorithm Exposed
Have you heard about tweet deletion? Well, researchers at EPFL’s Distributed Information Systems Laboratory uncovered a flaw in Twitter’s trending topics algorithm, which ignores tweet deletions, enabling attackers to manipulate trends!
Between June 2015 and September 2019, researches found 108,000 bot accounts involved, with 47% of local trends in Turkey and 20% of global trends being fabricated. These fake trends included phishing, disinformation, and hate speech, such as the anti-Syrian hashtag #SuriyelilerDefolsun. Despite being informed twice, Twitter acknowledged the issue but has yet to fix the vulnerability, allowing ongoing exploitation.
Twitter’s Response: Adding Context to Trends
Twitter (X) constantly updates its algorithms to detect and prevent manipulation. They’ve been cracking down on bots and fake accounts. We must realize it’s an ongoing challenge where each new solution often leads to new tactics to exploit the system.
Recently, X affirmed its commitment to the highest level of response in posts about the Gaza-Israel War, highlighting the importance of context in trending topics.
Pinned Tweets:
Certain tweets are fixed at the top to provide more insight into trending topics. These tweets undergo algorithmic and human selection to guarantee relevance to the subject matter and prevent spam or harassment.
Human-Curated Descriptions:
Besides pinned tweets, human-curated brief descriptions will also be included in popular topics. The purpose of these descriptions is to clarify the reason a topic is trending. It educates users about the topic’s importance while reducing potential false information dependence.
Promoting Authentic Trends
Twitter enhances trend authenticity by collaborating with verified accounts and credible news sources. This aims to ensure trending topics reflect genuine conversations rather than manipulated narratives. The platform improves the visibility of organically emerging trends backed by credible information.
Stay Informed, Stay Smart
Trending topics can be fun and informative.
But it’s essential to know they’re not always organic!
By comprehending the mechanics of trend manipulation, you can peruse Twitter with a sharper and more accurate approach. So, next time, when encountering a hashtag gaining notoriety, you must think if this is authentic or merely an illusion!
