48 million of Twitter’s reported active users — nearly 15 percent — are automated accounts designed to simulate real people, though the company claims that number is far lower.

In November, Facebook disclosed to investors that it had at least twice as many fake users as it previously estimated, indicating that up to 60 million automated accounts may roam the world’s largest social media platform.

NICHOLAS CONFESSORE, GABRIEL J.X. DANCE, RICHARD HARRIS and MARK HANSEN as transcribed by NICHOLAS CONFESSORE, GABRIEL J.X. DANCE, RICHARD HARRIS and MARK HANSEN, The Follower Factory

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