Social networks and chat apps have their own battles with spam. If you’ve ever received a random friend request from a stranger selling sunglasses or a mass message on a chat app, you’ve seen social spam. Major platforms are using a mix of technology and community policing to combat these unwanted messages.
Automatic filters work on
social media platforms just like they do in email. They scan posts and messages for known spam indicators—for example, sending the same message to 50 people in one hour is a red flag. The system can self-flag or temporarily block this behavior. Many services also limit the speed at which new accounts can perform certain actions (like sending telegram data DMs or posting links) to prevent spammers from reaching too many people at once.
Messages or comments with phishing links or suspicious phrases can be automatically hidden (for example, sent to a spam or “message request” folder). If a spam message slips through, users can hit “Report Spam” or “Block.” User reports are gold: they help this prevents fake users the platform identify and close spam accounts. These platforms even use artificial intelligence that learns from reports to proactively spot similar spam content.
Verification is another useful tool
Features like verified badges or requiring phone/email fax list verification for new accounts help ensure that there is a real person behind an account. This makes it much harder for a spammer to manage hundreds of bot profiles.