Twitter spam, effective or idiotic?

January 1, 2009 By

This morning the replies kept crossing my screen. They look like this:

Just started using http://twply.com/ to get my @replies via email. Neat stuff!

Aaarrrrrggggghhhhh.

To me this marks this company forever that it’s a spammer. I will never try this tool just because of this. It is why I am increasingly finding myself unwilling to put my twitter address and password into a new tool. They can use that access to hurt you and your reputation.

But, on the other hand, this is brilliant. It is spreading so fast that in the three minutes it took to bang out this post 30 more people loaded this tool and handed over their names and passwords.

Effective and viral. Expect more of this marketing in the future.

Me? It is cluttering up my screen. I need a new kind of filter now.

Aaarrrrrggggggghhhhhh!

UPDATE: Mathew Ingram says that it sent the message even though he thought he turned it off. We are also discussing this on friendfeed.

Filed Under: technology industry Tagged With: ,
← Older Comments
  • timehasnotime

    If I want to check I just sign in from my Palm. How hard is that? Ya don’t need to have someone do it for you.

  • timehasnotime

    If I want to check I just sign in from my Palm. How hard is that? Ya don’t need to have someone do it for you.

  • timehasnotime

    If I want to check I just sign in from my Palm. How hard is that? Ya don’t need to have someone do it for you.

  • Pingback: Ooops, here we go again : 800 Pound Guerilla

  • Pingback: Replies di TwitApps e ricevi in mail i replies di Twitter : Catepol 3.0

  • Pingback: 2puntozeropertutti » Come non perdere nessun reply su Twitter

  • sahar009

    All these tools are amazing when they are used well – unfortunately it’s only a matter of time (usually pretty short, too) before something initially great becomes a pain in the you know what. Think of Facebook – it started as a tool for students to communicate. You knew the person you were talking to really was a university student with that name, but now… -Sighs- I have about 30 friends requests from people with names like “Naughty Bear” and “Everyone’s Friend”.

  • sahar009

    All these tools are amazing when they are used well – unfortunately it’s only a matter of time (usually pretty short, too) before something initially great becomes a pain in the you know what. Think of Facebook – it started as a tool for students to communicate. You knew the person you were talking to really was a university student with that name, but now… -Sighs- I have about 30 friends requests from people with names like “Naughty Bear” and “Everyone’s Friend”.

  • guidosoundadvice

    Those techniques wreak of the old MLM days!
    not a bad idea, def should be tweaked out more to be effective though.
    I almost wish I were an affiliate ;)

  • guidosoundadvice

    Those techniques wreak of the old MLM days!
    not a bad idea, def should be tweaked out more to be effective though.
    I almost wish I were an affiliate ;)

  • http://fromtheleft.wordpress.com/ Christopher di Spirito

    Wow! I thought it was just me.

    I signed up for Twitter after reading an article about it in a reputable computer magazine that likened it to the invention of email.

    While some of the social networking stuff was fun and useful during the election, most of what I see now is written in a foreign language (sorry, I only have two semesters of college level Spanish) or people “Tweeting” as a means to get free advertising for their business.

    The remainder are posts similar to this: “Whoa, so tired today, Tweets!” Or, “Looking forward to spring!” Or, “My husband is away this week, I sure would like to meet you.”

    Am I missing something magical about Twitter?

  • http://fromtheleft.wordpress.com Christopher di Spirito

    Wow! I thought it was just me.

    I signed up for Twitter after reading an article about it in a reputable computer magazine that likened it to the invention of email.

    While some of the social networking stuff was fun and useful during the election, most of what I see now is written in a foreign language (sorry, I only have two semesters of college level Spanish) or people “Tweeting” as a means to get free advertising for their business.

    The remainder are posts similar to this: “Whoa, so tired today, Tweets!” Or, “Looking forward to spring!” Or, “My husband is away this week, I sure would like to meet you.”

    Am I missing something magical about Twitter?

  • http://lifeinthegalaxy.wordpress.com/ Gregory and Shelina

    We’ve been using twitter to post our daily life which many find interesting as we have been called modern prophets and bring information about the first creation of humans which people have never heard of before. We’ve also made a JesusandMary twitter since they channel through Gregory as they are in our soul group and are sharing new messages which others have not heard before along with tidbits about their guides, angels and past lives. Our intentions are not to spam anyone. It does look like it can be overwhelming sometimes as we are following Obama, Oprah, Depak Chopra and others but for the moment we are having fun with it and will be putting it on our regular website which is being built. Blessings for a Happy New Year!

  • http://lifeinthegalaxy.wordpress.com Gregory and Shelina

    We’ve been using twitter to post our daily life which many find interesting as we have been called modern prophets and bring information about the first creation of humans which people have never heard of before. We’ve also made a JesusandMary twitter since they channel through Gregory as they are in our soul group and are sharing new messages which others have not heard before along with tidbits about their guides, angels and past lives. Our intentions are not to spam anyone. It does look like it can be overwhelming sometimes as we are following Obama, Oprah, Depak Chopra and others but for the moment we are having fun with it and will be putting it on our regular website which is being built. Blessings for a Happy New Year!

  • Pingback: Latest Geek Links : Wesley Donehue

  • Pingback: How to share a secret

  • Pingback: The Curious Case of Twply and Twitter - Bokardo

  • Pingback: Some thoughts on using the Facebook Open Stream API - News ums Netz

  • Pingback: Some thoughts on using the Facebook Open Stream API | dv8-designs

← Older Comments