New York's chief prosecutor has opened an investigation following a report that a firm sold fake followers to celebrities, politicians and other social media users.
An in-depth report by The New York Times found that more than 200,000 high-profile figures had purchased fake followers after the paper reviewed business and court records for a company called Devumi.
Attorney general Eric Schneiderman wrote on Twitter that "impersonation and deception are illegal under New York law".
"We're opening an investigation into Devumi and its apparent sale of bots using stolen identities," he added.
"The internet should be one of the greatest tools for democracy – but it's increasingly being turned into an opaque, pay-to-play playground.
"The growing prevalence of bots means that real voices are too often drowned out in our public conversation. Those who can pay the most for followers can buy their way to apparent influence."
Impersonation and deception are illegal under New York law. We’re opening an investigation into Devumi and its apparent sale of bots using stolen identities. https://t.co/uvxGOp7soQ
— Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) January 27, 2018
The growing prevalence of bots means that real voices are too often drowned out in our public conversation. Those who can pay the most for followers can buy their way to apparent influence.
— Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) January 27, 2018
Twitter has recently been embroiled in a number of controversies regarding fake accounts, which are alleged to have been used to influence the US presidential election.
Among the customers found to have had many fake followers was celebrity chef Paul Hollywood, whose Twitter account was deleted after The New York Times contacted him with questions.
Hollywood responded to the newspaper's enquiries to say: "Account does not exist."
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The account of Twitter board member and member of the House of Lords Martha Lane Fox was also found to have benefited from fake Devumi followers, the report said.
Baroness Lane Fox of Soho blamed a rogue employee for at least seven purchases, the largest of which – for 25,000 followers – was reportedly made just days after she became a Twitter board member in April 2016.
According to The New York Times, many of the follower accounts impersonate those of genuine people – and have provided Devumi's customers with more than 200 million followers.
The tactics used by Devumi on our platform and others as described by today's NYT article violate our policies and are unnacceptable to us. We are working to stop them and any companies like them.
— Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) January 27, 2018
Twitter said: "The tactics used by Devumi on our platform and others as described by today's NYT article violate our policies and are unacceptable to us.
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"We are working to stop them and any companies like them."
Devumi has not made a public statement on the report.
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