Abstract

In the lead-up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election, we developed tools to monitor the follower dynamics of prominent Twitter users. This work details our investigation into several strange phenomena we observed, which suggest the presence of coordinated manipulation campaigns. We present preliminary evidence of networks of automated (bot) and potentially compromised accounts aiming to artificially inflate or diminish the perceived social status of high-profile individuals.

Key Contributions

  • Novel Detection Methods: Developed monitoring tools to capture sub-second follower dynamics and identify anomalous patterns in high-profile Twitter accounts
  • Comprehensive Phenomenon Documentation: Systematically catalogued four distinct types of coordinated manipulation: spikes & sawteeth, circulating accounts, resurrected ancient accounts, and follower list anomalies
  • Observational Framework: Created an observational methodology designed to characterize manipulation phenomena without requiring internal platform access
  • Evidence of Coordination: Provided preliminary evidence of systematic bot networks targeting prominent political figures during a critical election period

Technical Innovation

Our methodology combined high-frequency follower count monitoring (one-second resolution) with longitudinal analysis of follower lists. We built automated systems to:

  1. Monitor Follower Counts: Sample follower counts of watchlisted high-profile users to capture microdynamics
  2. Analyze Recent Followers: Periodically download recent followers to identify circulating and ancient accounts
  3. “Tunnel” Follower Lists: Recursively sample entire follower lists to analyze historical composition patterns

Key Findings

  • Spikes & Sawteeth: Dramatic, sub-second spikes and saw-tooth wave patterns in follower counts, suggesting automated activity
  • Circulating Accounts: Cohorts of users repeatedly following and unfollowing the same high-profile accounts
  • ‘Resurrected’ Ancient Accounts: Disproportionate numbers of pre-2010 Twitter accounts with long inactivity periods suddenly appearing as recent followers
  • Follower List Anomalies: Unusual temporal groupings in follower histories suggesting historical manipulation campaigns

Significance

This work highlights systematic behaviors that warrant further investigation into the mechanisms, intent, and impact of social media manipulation. The phenomena we documented underscore the potential for covert networks to shape public discourse and manipulate perceptions during critical democratic processes, emphasizing the need for enhanced platform security and transparency measures.

Citation

@article{heidenreich2020investigating,
  title={Investigating Coordinated 'Social' Targeting of High-Profile Twitter Accounts},
  author={Heidenreich, Hunter Scott and Mujib, Munif Ishad and Williams, Jake Ryland},
  journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2008.02874},
  year={2020}
}