A thread at Free Republic suggests that MSNBC host Rachel Maddow “has been using phony twitter accounts to boost her ‘mentions’ on” Twitter. A search yields hundreds of identical tweets like this:
https://twitter.com/sexyayeshamoosa/statuses/305314430630113280
https://twitter.com/missshericelanz/status/305314823783202816
https://twitter.com/sexy_joyabroadn/status/306461609465884672
https://twitter.com/its_kassie5838/status/307799405967310849
https://twitter.com/therealtranmanh/status/307566196922937344
Twitter user @LeftyBollocks shared a screen shot of just some of the tweets from apparent spambots.
The tweets from cleavage-flaunting Maddow “fans” date back to at least Feb. 23. Using the DoesFollow service, Twitchy checked dozens of the accounts to determine whether any actually follow Rachel Maddow on Twitter.
The answer?
In fact, many of these accounts have few followers and follow no one, and most have tweeted the hashtag #TeamFollowback. That hashtag is often used by spammers to build follower counts so their accounts seem more legitimate.
https://twitter.com/missshericelanz/status/307898794803097600
https://twitter.com/sexy_joyabroadn/status/307817891535912963
You’re unique! Just like every other Maddow-lovin’ spammer.
https://twitter.com/collegepolitico/status/307722546957144065
Did Maddow or one of her staffers launch a paid campaign to trend the #Maddow hashtag on Twitter?
Conservative Twitter users have their suspicions.
https://twitter.com/brady_cremeens/status/307728495377793024
For now, the flood of #Maddow spam-tweets appears to have ended.
Heh.
Update:
And … they’re back:
https://twitter.com/hottietarra7778/status/307902239232643072
https://twitter.com/itsdainebahamon/status/307903249766309892
Update:
Twitter suspends fake accounts that pimped Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC show
Update:
MSNBC tweeted a statement that was retweeted by the verified Maddow Blog account.
