What Is Engagement Farming? Elon Musk Warns of Suspending X Accounts Involved in Such Activities

Owner of X (formerly known as Twitter) Elon Musk has warned users doing engagement farming and decided to suspend their accounts if they are found engaging in such activities. 

Musk has announced this in a post on his official X handle, saying, "Any accounts doing engagement farming will be suspended and traced to the source."

Any accounts doing engagement farming will be suspended and traced to source

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2024

What Is Engagement Farming?

"Engagement farming" is when something is done to get impressions on X without offering much value in return. It is when someone posts generic or obnoxious content to get likes or replies. The goal is to get people to interact with the tweet, which may lead to followers. This involved unethical practices and the use of fake accounts or tools to inflate metrics such as likes, retweets, and follower counts.

This activity disrupts the organic flow of information on X, and manipulated content lowers genuine voices. By blocking such accounts, X Crop aims to foster an original and organic online environment where content is rated based on its originality.

Also Read | Elon Musk's X says working with Pakistan government to "understand concerns".

X plans to track down the source of engagement farming, which is targeting services or individuals selling fake engagement. This proactive approach aims to dismantle the infrastructure supporting the practice.

Engagement farming can spread of misinformation. Engagement farmers often post controversial or provocative content that may not necessarily be accurate. This can result in the fast spread of false information, with potentially harmful consequences.

Who Are the Users of  Engagement Farming?

It is a common practice among influencers to join groups, usually consisting of up-and-coming influencers, to interact with each other’s content in a reciprocal manner. When a group member publishes a post, they share it via messaging services such as Instagram DMs or WhatsApp, and other members are expected to like and comment on the post. They do this because it’s a great way to create the illusion of a highly engaged audience and try to trick the algorithm.

This practice also presents them as attractive potential partners for brands, allowing their content to resonate with audiences when, in reality, it is only supported by their group members.