So, lemme preface this by saying: I’m no expert. I’m just a regular person who’s spent WAY too much time scrolling (and overthinking) on social media. And honestly, the whole fake profile watch thing is kinda creepy. It’s like, who are these people? And what are they even *doing*?
First off, let’s clarify what we’re talking about. I’m not talking about, like, private profiles that you can’t see. I’m talking about those profiles that are publicly viewable, often with a weirdly generic name (think “JaneDoe1234” or something equally inspiring), maybe one or two pictures (often stock photos or just…weirdly cropped things), and a bio that’s either nonexistent or just a string of emojis. You know the type.
And then they just…watch. They LIKE. They COMMENT with those generic, “Great post!” or “Cool pic!” things. Like, okay, thanks, bot. Appreciate the…enthusiasm? It’s just… off.
I think (and this is just me, throwing out my completely unfounded theories here) a lot of these are automated. Like, some algorithm just set loose on the internet to boost engagement or, even weirder, to collect data? Maybe? I honestly don’t know! But it feels super impersonal, and a little bit invasive.
Then there’s the paranoia. Like, am I being targeted? Am I saying things that are attracting these fake accounts? Am I, in some weird way, *interesting* to a bunch of bots? It’s a rabbit hole I try not to go down too often, because, honestly, who has the time?
And okay, yeah, sometimes you click on the profile and it leads you to some… questionable content. You know, the “GET RICH QUICK!” schemes or, uh, other things that are definitely not safe for work. That’s when you just block and move on, right? Right.
I guess my point is, it’s just… weird. And a little unsettling. The internet is full of real people, and sometimes it’s nice to have genuine interactions. But these fake profile watches just feel like a constant, low-level hum of… fakeness. And who needs more of *that* in their life?
So, what do we do about it? Honestly, I don’t know. Report them? Ignore them? Maybe just embrace the absurdity and start responding to their generic comments with equally generic responses. Like, “Thanks, bot! Glad you enjoyed my picture of my cat!” I don’t know, maybe that’s just me being sarcastic.
