Kamala Harris’s new criminal justice plan involves empowering “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals” to start their own cannabis businesses.
What a strange and long journey Sen. Kamala Harris has already experienced around cannabis in 2019. The presidential hopeful endured controversy over “Reefergate,” in which Harris joked about smoking weed in college while listening to Tupac and Snoop Dogg, only to have critics decry that she graduated college before those rappers’ careers started. Her own father even joined the public shaming.
Harris re-gained momentum over the summer in polls and public perception, which included her proposal to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level. She earned serious commendation from cannabis activist organization, like the Drug Policy Alliance and NORML. One marijuana policy expert even told Vox Harris’ decriminalization bill, which included the creation of grant programs to assist those disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs, was among the most progressive plans presented by 2020 candidates.
All was good for Harris until the most recent debates when fellow candidate Tulsi Gabbard slammed the former California Attorney General over her prosecution record. Gabbard said she was “deeply concerned about this record,” adding that Harris “put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana.”
Photo by Bloomberg Creative Photos/Getty Images
Once again, though, Harris is letting her policymaking speak for her around cannabis. This week she unveiled a criminal justice plan making headlines for its intention to “end mass incarceration.” But hidden within is a proposal that would empower “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals” to start their own cannabis businesses through government subsidies. The plan highlighted how significant marijuana reform could assist in ending mass incarceration. To accomplish that, Harris wants to give state and local municipalities federal grants that would fund an attractive loan program to those who qualify.
“[Provide] states and localities with funds to make loans to assist small businesses in the marijuana industry that are owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals,” reads the plan.
This grant program, according to Harris’s plan, would be supported by “sales tax on marijuana and marijuana products.”
Despite her past, this is another example of Harris creating actionable legislation that could create systemic change in the cannabis industry and country at large. Of Democratic presidential candidate, however, only Joe Biden hasn’t endorsed federal legalization of marijuana.
Researchers accidentally proved that marijuana has the potential to ease the pain of capsaicin, which is the chemical responsible for putting the “hot” in hot peppers.
Spice-induced mouth burn is a hazard associated with chili cookouts and other extreme-eating events. Bread, alcohol, and milk have all been touted as cures, but, as anyone who’s chomped a rogue Padrón pepper knows, they aren’t cures.
The Fresh Toast – Can marijuana help put the fire out in your mouth from hot sauces? Research may have stumbled on the answer.
Could cannabis somehow quench the flames?
There is no medical study that addresses this question directly, but there is a mighty suggestive report from the University of California San Diego.
In 2007, researchers from UCSD’s Center for Medical Cannabis Research were testing marijuana’s potential to ease neuropathic pain. To simulate the pain associated with chemotherapy or HIV/AIDS, researchers injected participants with capsaicin, which, as you may know, is the chemical that puts the heat in hot peppers.
“Subjects reported a decrease in pain at the medium dose, and there was also a significant correlation between plasma levels of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, and decreased pain,” said Igor Grant, M.D., F.R.C.P.(C), professor and Executive Vice-Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, the director of the CMCR.
Sure, they were gunning for cancer and AIDS, but hadn’t they just shown that cannabis can protect us against chili peppers? Isn’t that, like, news, too?
It turns out there are (at least) two hurdles to clear before THC tablets can take their place in America’s medicine cabinets next to Rolaids and Prilosec.
The first problem is dosage. Cannabis has a narrow Goldilocks window for pain relief: too little has no effect, but too much makes the pain even worse. The optimum amount is about half a joint. That’s 4% THC by weight.
The second problem —and this is a big one—is reaction time. Grant drops a sluggish fly in our speculative ointment: “Interestingly, the analgesic effect wasn’t immediate; it took about 45 minutes.” For anyone with a mouthful of habanero or an arm-full of capsaicin, “interesting” is probably not the word that would spring to mind.
So maybe THC isn’t the quick antidote for your burning mouth as you had hoped. But perhaps the silver lining here is that, much like THC, spicy foods can actually make you feel high.
Thanks to scientist and admitted foodie Leidamarie Tirado-Lee, we know why.
In the magazine Helix, he explains that capsaicinoids have nothing to do with tastebuds and everything to do with physical sensation.
In essence, when you eat something spicy and the capsaicinoids hit the tongue, a message — similar to that of being near a hot fire — is sent to the brain, essentially tricking it into thinking that the mouth is being burned and needs assistance, STAT! (It’s the same thing that happens when you touch your eye after handling a hot pepper, which is why you should, um, never do that). The brain responds by releasing endorphins.
So, while you may not have a quick fix for your burning mouth, at least you’ll feel a little buzzed.
The plan was to visit IKEA and play the most epic hide and seek game ever. But police stepped in and foiled the fun before it ever began.
IKEA is one of the most memorable places in the world, and also one of the most confusing. No matter the size or the location you visit, it’s likely that at some point you’ll get lost and have to retrace your steps.
What’s a better place to play hide and seek than in a gigantic Swedish store?
Yahoo reports that people from Glasgow, Scotland organized a Facebook event where more than 3,000 people signed-on to participate. The plan was to visit IKEA and play the most epic hide and seek game ever. Having caught wind of these plans, the store contacted the police, who sent five police officers to stand guard throughout the day.
“People are stopping everyone who looks like they are here for a game of hide and seek,” an IKEA visitor told The Scotsman.
For obvious reasons, IKEA can’t host massive games of hide and seek.
“The safety of our customers and co-workers is always our highest priority. We were aware of an unofficial Hide and Seek Facebook event being organized to take place at our store today and have been working with the local police for support. While we appreciate playing games in one of our stores may be appealing to some, we do not allow this kind of activity to take place to ensure we are offering a safe environment and relaxed shopping experience for our customers,” said Rob Cooper, IKEA’s Glasgow store manager.
IKEA appears to have a long history with hide and seek. While initially, the store didn’t outright ban these games, events throughout Europe began to attract massive crowds. Nineteen-thousand people signed up to play in Amsterdam and 12,000 in Utrecht. In 2015, hide and seek was officially banned in IKEA locations across Europe.
Over the weekend, models sashayed down the runway with some proudly taking hits on vapes as they meshed glamorous high fashion and cannabis consumption.
Fashion met cannabis this past weekend as Project Runway Allstar, Korto Momolu, partnered with Women Grow, the largest network of women in the cannabis and hemp industries for a runway show spectacular. The combination of high fashion and activewear emblazoned with the Women’s Grow logo was well-received by an enthusiastic audience.
Models sashayed down the runway with some proudly taking hits on vapes as they meshed glamorous high fashion and cannabis consumption. The show embraced the idea that women can be seen in flowing beautiful gowns and also consumer cannabis whether it be CBD or THC.
Momolu debuted a runway collection of women’s ready to wear that embodied the power, influence, and strength of female leadership. The fabrics chosen for the outfits were from many sustainable materials including hemp fabric, linen, jute, and cork. The activewear from the Women’s Grow line promoted the idea of a healthy lifestyle with the element of cannabis thrown in. The show was notable for its inclusivity with models of different sizes and ages. Yes, a model with grey hair came strutting down the catwalk. No ageism was allowed at this show.
“While the intersection of fashion and cannabis industries may not seem obvious at first, the collaboration was created to amplify the message of Women Grow – Empowerment, Inspiration, and Education,” states Chanda Macias, CEO of Women Grow. “Through Korto’s innovative and elegant collection, our goal is to break through the stigma of cannabis culture and bring to light the health benefits of the plant, and the value of women leaders in the industry.” Macias noted that Women Grow’s mission is not to cultivate cannabis but to intentionally cultivate female leadership within the cannabis industry as well.
As the beauty industry has embraced CBD with seemingly every product now claiming some sort of Cannabidiol inclusion, fashion has been slow to join in. Hemp was used for textiles for hundreds of years, but its characteristics of strength make it a difficult and expensive product to process for clothing. However, as more apparel manufacturers begin to work with hemp once again, the processing should begin to improve and become less costly.
“Women Grow has a great handle on an industry that is about to truly explode – and this offers a HUGE opportunity for women to make their mark. They’re all about empowering women, and that’s what resonated with me most,” commented designer, Korto Momolu. “We’re looking to normalize cannabis – we’re showing vapes on the runway and an assortment of hemp-based fabrics.”
Korto Momolu auditioned for, and earned a spot on the 5th season of Bravo TV’s hit show, Project Runway – earning her the prize of “fan favorite.” She was highlighted in the ‘Top 5 Designers to Watch’ at her debut season at New York fashion week SS09.
Sharon Osbourne reveals her new face five weeks after surgery; Mrs. Nick Jonas says she feels terrible she wasn’t at the VMAs to see her husband perform with his brothers for the first time in 10 years.
Sharon Osbourne had a new look Monday on The Talk.
The 66-year-old spoke about it, as the co-hosts took their place on the new-and-improved set of the daytime talk series on the premiere of the show’s 10th season.
Carrie Ann Inaba brought up the subject first.
“And speaking of new things, Sharon, you look very refreshed,” Inaba said.
Osbourne explained that she had her neck and jowls done five weeks ago.
“So he, like, kind of pulled it from the top of my head and put an elastic band in it,” Osbourne explained. “But everything was just lifted up, so it looks more refreshed. [I] don’t look tired.”
Marie Osmond, in her first show as a permanent co-host, complimented Osbourne.
“Seriously, for just five weeks ago, I think she looks incredible,” said Osmond, who’s been a regular guest co-host since 2012. “And I mean it, beautiful.”
When co-host Sheryl Underwood asked Osbourne how she was feeling, Osbourne assured her that she was making it.
“OK, you know, still a little bit of pain, especially, like, under [my chin], but you can’t complain when you wanted to do it. So it’s fine.”
Osbourne has been open in the past about having undergone plastic surgery. In fact, she said last season that she would return to the show with a new look. Before that, Osbourne shared stories about breast implants gone wrong and the awfulness of having her vagina tightened. She even said in 2012 that she wouldn’t get any more plastic surgery, because, as she put it, her face was beginning to look plastic.
The MTV Video Music Awards was a big deal for the Jonas Brothers, as it celebrated the bands first VMAs show in over a decade — their last was in 2008 — since the members reunited earlier this year. So when the actress was unable to make the event due to sickness, leaving Nick to go dateless while brothers Kevin and Joe Jonas both came with wives Danielle Jonas and Sophie Turner, she felt she’d really let her hubby down.
“I was sick that day, which is why I couldn’t go to the VMAs. It was supposed to be this fun night where all six of us got together because we never really get to do it that often,” she explained to Entertainment Tonight at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. “We all have very crazy schedules, and now that the boys are on tour, we meet as the six of us. So, this was supposed to be that fun thing.”
“We had dinner planned after, and then I was really unwell. I think Nick felt really bad that he was there and I was unwell,” she continued, adding that, seeing the “Chains” musician’s face from home, she could tell she’d disappointed him.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1rhECjnThP
To make matters slightly better, the 37-year-old photoshopped herself into a picture with lonely-looking Nick as the two other couples kissed to make it appear like she was there all along. “That’s the reason why I love technology,” she quipped, “It doesn’t matter if I was there or not. The picture makes it look like I was and the internet would believe it.”
Investments in the marijuana industry are quickly surging, with more than $9 billion poured into the industry this year alone, up from roughly $5.5 billion invested over the same period last year.
The marijuana business is booming, with industry size estimates placing the U.S. legal market currently above $12 billion, and projections pointing toward sales in excess of $60 billion in just five years. Investments are also surging, and fast, with more than $9 billion poured into the industry this year alone, up from roughly $5.5 billion invested over the same period last year.
As the business advances, investors are seeing more and more stocks listed in major and smaller stock exchanges, from the Canadian Securities Exchange and the OTC Markets — a junior exchange in the U.S. — to the NYSE and the Nasdaq. Along with the proliferation of publicly traded companies, we’re seeing cannabis-focused ETFs multiply as well.
So, what’s an ETF?
An ETF, or exchange traded fund, is like a mutual fund, in the sense that they take money from a lot of people and then invests it into a diversified portfolio of companies. However, unlike a mutual fund, an ETF lists its shares in public markets. This means you can go buy shares in an ETF and virtually own equity in many different companies without the need to hand pick each one, or allocate a lot of money to any particular one.
While some, like the famed SPDR S&P 500 ETF (or SPY for short), invest in a wide array of companies, others are much more focused. This is the case of cannabis ETFs.
The following are the largest in the US right now:
• The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF (OTC: HMLSF) (TSE:HMMJ)
• The ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSE:MJ)
• The AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF (NYSE: YOLO)
• The Cannabis ETF (NYSE:THCX)
• The Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (NYSE:CNBS)
• The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY)
So, by buying shares from any of these ETFs, you can hold stock from different cannabis companies, operating in different sub-segments of the industry, from cultivation and retail to software.
Beyond the usual benefits of diversification provided by most ETFs – not putting all of your eggs in one basket, cannabis ETFs offer an additional benefit: someone else will pick the companies for you in an industry that’s highly segmented, fragmented, and still nascent – meaning many of the companies that are currently trading might not make it through this initial period of the market.
Despite the promising figures and potential, the number of cannabis companies trading on major exchanges like the NYSE and Nasdaq remains relatively small.
Cannabis is still illegal on a federal level in the U.S.
This means most U.S. companies can’t list in these top stock exchanges just yet; only federally legal businesses from Canada and other countries like the U.K., along with a few select U.S. based cannabis-adjacent businesses that don’t touch the plant directly, can afford this luxury.
Thus, most U.S.-based companies, no matter how big they become, are still obliged to list on the Canadian stock market or opt for Over-the-Counter, junior exchanges in the U.S.
This certainly presents a challenge for U.S. investors seeking to place their money in cannabis stocks, as they will often have to opt between investing in a foreign exchange they might not be particularly familiar with, or placing their confidence in OTC-listed companies, knowing this exchange has much lower disclosure requirements than its senior counterparts – the NYSE and Nasdaq.
And, even NYSE and Nasdaq traded cannabis stocks have been experiencing high volatility recently.
So, how does one go about investing in cannabis stocks?
Well, for starters, don’t be deterred by these hurdles. There’s a “green rush” going on and you can capitalize on it, should you be able pick the right companies, trading at reasonable valuations.
Know the market and get familiarized with the companies. Analyze a company not from press releases but from SEC filings, which provide a more complete understanding of a company’s fundamentals.
You might be asking, “Who has the time for that?”
Fair question.
Two options might be good for beginners or non-professional investors without massive amounts of excess time in their hands. The first, we’ve already looked into: ETFs.
The other option is that presented by investment advisory services or firms. A quick internet search will reveal the most recognized ones, but feel free to contact the author of this article should you have any questions about a particular advisors’ legitimacy and track record.
Photo by p_saranya/Getty Images
How To Invest In Cannabis Without Professional Help
If you decide to go at it on your own, though, here are a few steps you should follow:
First off, do your research. Beyond news stories and regulatory filings, you can assess the general sentiment towards a stock on Twitter, StockTwits, or Reddit.
Next up, decide the amount you want to invest. Always go for the famous “only invest what you can afford to lose.”
Once you’ve made your picks, select a brokerage service and make sure they allow trading cannabis stocks. Many don’t. Finally, establish a timeline for your investment and set targets for when to sell a stock, either to reap profits or avoid a heavy loss.
That’s about it. Welcome to the fascinating world of cannabis investing!
The recent outbreak of vaping illnesses is the result of letting the black market decide how marijuana should be regulated and sold.
To prove how overwhelmingly positive cannabis can be as a wellness supplement, medicinal force, and recreational pastime, advocates and stoners alike will often reference a simple fact — you can’t overdose on cannabis. Unlike opioids, alcohol, and cigarettes, marijuana can’t kill you. Other contrarian-minded folk would take it one step further: If you really want to be a healthy canna-consumer, put down the joint and vape instead.
I’m guilty of this line of thinking as much as anyone. But the cannabis community and country writ large must also reckon with a different set of facts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 450 different people have contracted illnesses due to vaping products. At least four people have died. These cases involve common symptoms of fever, shortness of breath, coughing, nausea, and diarrhea, among others, reports a preliminary paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Most striking, the paper reports 84% of patients hospitalized by vaping-related illnesses admitted what they were vaping included THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid in marijuana.
Plenty of marijuana users, in states legal or otherwise, have expressed concern and confusion. Very reasonably, these people don’t want to die. Their questions in response to this news multiply infinitely. Five years after Washington and Colorado created recreational markets, why the death and illness now? Is vaping still safe? What even is in vaping fluids? If I buy products someone says is from California, does that mean I’ll be okay? Is this somehow Trump’s fault?
Photo by lindsayfox via Pixabay
Believe it or not, all those queries are related. Early analysis from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found presence of vitamin E acetate in vaping products used by those who fell ill. A spokeswoman from the New York State Department of Health confirmed high levels of vitamin E acetate in all New York cases. “As a result, vitamin E acetate is now a key focus of the Department’s investigation of potential causes of vaping-associated pulmonary illnesses,” read the state’s release.
Vitamin E, while used as a topical skin treatment or ingested as a health supplement, isn’t dangerous. But its molecular structure, reports The Washington Post, could be hazardous when smoked into the lungs. However, unlike the New York Health Department, the FDA isn’t even positive that vitamin E acetate is the deadly culprit.
“No one substance, including Vitamin E acetate, has been identified in all of the samples tested,” FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum told the Post. “Importantly, identifying any compounds that are present in the samples will be one piece of the puzzle but will not necessarily answer questions about causality.”
While various health agencies analyze what role vitamin E acetate plays in these illnesses, the FDA advises “it is prudent to avoid inhaling this substance.”
One way to avoid contracting these illnesses is to avoid purchasing THC cartridges on the streets. By the way, that doesn’t mean purchasing cartridges from legal states like Oregon or California means you’re in the clear. In the wake of legalization and the explosion of ancillary cannabis products in dispensaries—including edibles, tinctures, and vape cartridges—the black market has responded with equal sophistication.
Photo by HighGradeRoots/Getty Images
Brands like Dank Vapes and Chronic Carts may seem legitimate, due to colorful packaging and marketing prowess. But they also aren’t real producers or businesses. Instead, a brand like Dank Vapes acts as a shadow company for counterfeit producers to mask the illegal and unregulated nature of their products. Grow illegal marijuana, produce illicit vape oil, and stuff it in a seductive-looking box, and suddenly unwitting buyers assume you’re a real, state-approved retailer. Inverse reported that at one point you could buy empty Dank Vape boxes on Amazon, in case you wanted free Prime shipping while harming cannabis users. If you’re smoking Dank Vapes, know that it isn’t laboratory tested, it doesn’t come from legal retailers, and it might kill you.
Some have suggested this outbreak will impede the growing momentum toward legalizing cannabis nationwide. It’s possible. But this vaping illness also demonstrates how problematic the federal government’s inaction on cannabis has become. Donald Trump promoted noted prohibitionist Jeff Sessions to Attorney General and empowered Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who “has shown zero interest in doing anything to make it easier for marijuana companies to do business,” writes POLITICO. By avoiding regulation and progressive legislation, the federal government instead let the market decide how, where, when, and why cannabis products will reach consumers.
Letting the market decide, though, indirectly led to these vaping illnesses. Consumers want vaping products—they’re discreet, portable, and easier to dose your usage. A 2019 report from Arcview, the cannabis research analytics firm, announced that concentrates rose from 10% of the cannabis market in 2014 all the way to 27% in 2019. That’s just what we can track from legal sales. Prohibitive taxes and competitive pricing pushed producers and consumers alike in California to the black market. At the beginning of 2019, the Associated Press reported up to 80% of all marijuana sales in California still happen “under the table.”
The truth is the moment we’re in has been brewing for years. All the factors listed above—consumer demand, unregulated black markets, government leniency—have been pointing this direction. Rolling Stone columnist Amanda Chicago-Lewis identified this possibility a couple years back, but no one really listened. Heads were stuck in sand and everyone was happy to make a quick buck. That countercultural, screw-the-government streak present amongst many cannabis veterans only added fuel to the fire. But when people land in hospitals with the possibility of death, it’s time for a change. We need institutional oversight, we need laboratory testing, we need scientists examining these products, we need consumer awareness around cannabis safety. Currently we have none of that. The only way to achieve any necessary change, of course, is simple—legalize marijuana. That would be the first step to solving a lot of this country’s problems.
While Florida is not the first state that comes to mind when discussing the cannabis industry and CBD, there have been some interesting developments and cannabis businesses popping up in the area.
A recent survey found that residents of Florida are “at the epicenter of the CBD craze,” primarily those who live in Miami.
The survey was conducted by DankGeek CBD, not the most reliable of sources, but a source nonetheless. The site counted the number of CBD related tweets coming from the U.S. over the span of a month, pairing them with their geographical locations.
While Florida is not the first state that comes to mind when discussing the cannabis industry and CBD, there have been some interesting developments and cannabis businesses popping up in the area. Recently, the state legalized hemp products and is currently working on a regulation plan.
“Florida has the potential to become the gold standard on hemp — our deep agricultural heritage, climate and resources, and farming infrastructure will make Florida a national leader in this emerging new economy,” Florida’s agricultural commissioner Nikki Reed told the Sun Sentinel.
Miami’s cannabis business scene includes tons of hemp production, Jimmy Buffet’s upcoming cannabis brand and Coldfire Roasters, the only company in the country that specializes in making CBD-infused Cuban coffee. Their drink is called the “cafecito con calma,” which roughly translates to the “take it easy coffee.” What’s a better invention than that?
Former Speaker of the House John Boehner says his “primary purpose for getting involved in this was to advance the cause of medical marijuana.” Do you believe him?
We’ll file these public statements under the “Yeah, sure” category for former Speaker of the House John Boehner. Once “unalterably opposed” to cannabis, Boehner has become a leading face of the nascent cannabis industry. He sits on the board at Acreage Holdings and was involved with a keynote presentation at South by Southwest around legalization. Canada’s leading marijuana producer Canopy Growth acquired Acreage earlier this year, in a deal that potentially netted Boehner millions — close to $20 million, to be exact.
“My primary purpose for getting involved in this was to advance the cause of medical marijuana. Yes, I do get paid. I am on the board of Acreage Holdings,” Boehner said. “But I know what my motivations are, and I’ve tried to make that clear. I can understand why some people would look at it and say, ‘Oh, you’re just cashing in.’ They’re entitled to their opinion.”
Boehner explained that he personally researched marijuana’s medical efficacy, which led to his newfound passion. He discovered that we “got veterans that have all kinds of needs that aren’t being met,” as well as individuals suffering from “anxiety issues or sleep issues,” in addition to “chronic pain issues.”
“I knew when I came out, that was going to be a statement and make news, but I’m really glad I did it,” he said.
Photo by Yarygin/Getty Images
Boehner’s ability to make news in the cannabis world will be put to the test in the coming years. As the New York Times reports, the deal between Canopy and Acreage is contingent upon Boehner’s old Congressional connections. “The takeover will not happen without substantial changes in marijuana policy, leaving it up to Mr. Boehner and his team of lobbyists to work their magic in Washington,” reports the Times.
How unsurprising then were Boehner’s comments to Politico around Congress enacting marijuana legislation this election cycle. The former Speaker was encouraged and believes “more and more members [of Congress] are hearing from their constituents about the need to get the federal government out of the way.
“You have a lot of Democrats who were already there,” Boehner said. “But many Republicans are starting to come on board, as they see this dichotomy between what’s going on in their own states and how the federal government continues to stand in the way.”
Should Boehner not get those Republicans on board in time to close the Acreage deal, it’ll be curious if he remains such a fierce cannabis advocate on Capitol Hill. We’ll remind you that his “primary purpose for getting involved in this was to advance the cause of medical marijuana.” Let’s see him put his money where his mouth is.
Fake social media accounts are incredibly popular and cost businesses large amounts of money. Here are some tips that can help you spot them.
Now that social media has become a profitable business, companies are cracking down on fake followers. These bots can be purchased to have more followers and increase engagement on Instagram profiles but once you’ve learned the tells they’re pretty easy to spot.
While some people gain massive amount of followers through purchasing bots, it’s practically impossible to avoid having some fake followers of your own. According to Harper’s Bazaar, some of Instagram’s most popular celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Ariana Grande and Priyanka Chopra, have as much as 49% of their followers as fake bots.
Here are 5 tips that can make it easy for you to spot fake Instagram accounts.
Compare followers vs amount of likes
Someone who has tons of followers should also have tons of likes. Math is math, so if someone’s likes and followers ratio is way off it suggests that a large portion of their followers are inactive bots. Fake followers are pretty limited in their engagement; they mostly follow you and drop a couple of generic comments on some of your photos.
Compare followers vs accounts followed
One of the easiest ways to spot a fake Instagram account is to check their amount of followers and the amount of people they follow. If they follow a lot of accounts yet have have barely any followers, it means that no one knows them or finds their content legitimate.
Fake accounts are very irregular with their content, maybe uploading a lot of posts and leaving lots of likes and comments for a few days and then disappearing for weeks. Genuine influencers and active Instagram users tend to upload content on a semi regular basis, that way developing a steady base of followers.
Use the help of apps and websites
While they’re not the most legitimate of sources, there are tons of apps and websites a Google search away claiming to let you know about your fake followers. There are also sites like Social Blade that allow you to run accounts through their data base and inform you on their analytics.
