Every social media user has the problem of fake followers. Fake followers are annoying. Why? Because they don't engage with your content and that is really bad.
For example, what is the point of having 1000 followers but only 10 of them are active and the rest are fake/inactive followers? It is better if you only have 100 followers but 75 of them are active. You get more for less. Steemit also has this fake follower problem. I see a lot of people following more than 1000 people and I don't believe that they are engaging with the content of their followed people. This is a really bad behavior because Steemit makes a lot more fun if interact with your community.
A few weeks ago, I took a look into the Steemit Python API of @furion. I played with it and then I decided to make a tool to extract your fake followers to get your real followers.
How do I define fake followers?
My first attempt was getting the following count of my followers and look whether this user is following more than 1000 people. But I recognized that there are nice people like @twinner which are following more than 1000 people and interact with the content of the followed people. So I decided to get all my followers; look if they've ever upvoted a post of me and also look if they are following more than 1000 people.
Then I print out:
- How many followers never upvoted my content.
- How many 1000+ following followers I have and how many of them never interacted with my posts.
Currently, I only look if they upvoted at least one of my posts. I also wanted to see how many followers never wrote a comment but the method of the Steemit API isn't currently working. Another method would be to check only the upvotes of the last x posts and then compare them to my followers to get inactive/fake followers. (Maybe they also didn't like your x last posts.)
This is the whole code. You should be able to run it in a Python environment with the Steem module installed.
You can look it up and copy it from pastebin
If you run the code, you can set a username and then the script does the above described steps. Afterwards it prints the percentage of fake followers.
The results are shocking!
If everything works properly (it should if I'm not dumb), then the results are horrible.
For example, I tested it with my username. It printed the following:
I can't really believe it that so many followers never upvoted a single post of me.
We should vote as much as possible because it's free and we give value to somebody else.
I don't want to witch-hunt anyone so you can't see the fake followers. You can modify the script to enable it. It's pretty easy if you really want to know each fake follower.
What do you think? Does my script properly represent fake followers? Can we classify a fake follower with my ideas? Let's start a discussion in the comments!
If you also want to know your percentage of fake followers, just tell it to me and I'll run the script for you.
P.S: Unfortunately, nobody participated in my Steemit Background Cover Contest :D I will redo the competition at a later time if I have more followers and more influence.
Leave a comment, upvote and a follow if you liked my post.
See you soon :)
@jbp
I will try to run this code and I would be interested to see my fake followers. I agree that it's not the number of followers but the quality ones who actually engage .
This is why I don't run contests, yet. But I did one time but it was pretty hidden, like a test to see if someone is really reading. And one of my followers won some SBD lol. It's pretty nice to know that someone really reads what you write.
If you want to run the code, you need Linux. I wasn't able to install the Steem module on Windows. Also, if you run it, it sometimes times out and raises an error. Then you just need to rerun the script.
Hahaha interesting idea, I also have the feeling that many people aren't reading your post and just comment somethng. When did you make this contest? I didn't see it.
Ahhh, I have to go through all the trouble of installing Linux. Ok, I will check this steem module then.
Reacting Before Reading - The Rise of the Unaware
It is inside lol.
You can try installing it on windows but it didn't work for me. I use Linux Ubuntu with VirtualBox on Windows. That's the easiest way.
Thanks for the link
Ok thanks, I will check out that virtual box!
Its a pity there isn't a switch to eject fake followers from your list :)
Yes ..
This is amazing information. Thanks a lot...
cool auto reply bot here^^ Kappa
Interesting post! I would have to imagine that many of my followers have never upvoted or commented on my most recent posts. Having x amount of followers is nice, but the # of actual, engaged followers is the number that matters. Following and UV. Looking forward to more
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STOPCongratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by jbp | J from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
Unfortunately, we all have fake followers ... Thanks for this information!
I would bet that 78% of my followers are fake too, ill follow you forreal, good post it nails exactly what I have suspected for months, thanks!
Hi @jbp and thank you from all Steemians who are concerned about the "fake follower" issue. I may have misunderstood your post on this subject. Are you offering to analyze the follower list of any Steemian on request? If so, is that a free service or are you charging Steem$ ? I've just discovered your "fake follower" blog today, 10-10-17, and I'm very interested. Please reply. Thank you.
Hi Sarah
Yes, I offer to analyze your fake followers for free. Would you like to analyze your followers?
Regards
@jbp
@jbp - Not just yet. I'm much too small, and I've actually communicated with most of them. (That's how small I am.) But if my blog ever grows (that is to say, if I ever formally "introduce myself" and actually write something), when the number of followers begins to seem unrealistic or unlikely, that will probably be the time to do an analysis. Until then, I think it's excellent that you offer your service because we just want to "keep it real." God bless you, dear @jbp.
@jbp - Hi, "J,"
We had this conversation only a few days ago, and I've just changed my mind. I thought a follower analysis wouldn't be needed until the number of followers is worthy of analysis. But because I'm always curious about what prompts the decision to follow or un-follow, it occurred to me that an analysis might be useful right now. My list is so small that I notice when the number changes. I check the list and read the new profile. If there seems to be no clear connection between my content and the decision to follow, I think about that. So my question is this. Are there follower bots that regularly scan the Steemit community and automatically link to new or smaller accounts?
And I had another thought. I really appreciate your service and the service provided by @shaunmza who offers an instant data graph of followers, also at no charge. Perhaps the two of you could collaborate on 1) adding a voluntary follower survey which would identify specific reasons for the decision to follow or un-follow a certain blogger; and 2) adding a program component which would somehow compensate both of you in SP each time your free service is utilized. (That might be a challenge.)
If the survey suggestion interests you, I'd be willing to write my questions, and other bloggers might do the same. So let me know your thoughts. Even as a very small account, I am now concerned about fake followers and would like it very much if you would do the analysis. Thank you @jbp.
bots are a big problem