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Are follower-tracking tools crossing a line, or just good analytics?
Posted by on September 18, 2025 at 6:11 amLately I have been trying out tools that show who someone follows or unfollows and even let you watch stories without them knowing.
As a social media marketer, I find it pretty useful it helps me see what competitors are doing and spot changes in their audience. But part of me feels like it might be crossing a line.
Do you think this is just another helpful analytics tool, or does it feel a bit too invasive?
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1 Reply
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Competitive intelligence is definitely important. But tracking things like individual follows/unfollows or secretly watching stories does start to feel like crossing a line. It’s not just an ethical gray area; it can also put you at risk if platforms tighten their policies.
A **better approach** is to focus on aggregated, **compliant analytics** that provide the same level of insight without revealing anyone’s private behavior. You still see competitor benchmarks, audience trends, and shifts in engagement, but in a way that’s transparent and sustainable.
I work at Sprinklr, and this is exactly the approach we take: helping marketers get a clear view of competitor strategies, audience sentiment, and performance across platforms, without compromising on ethics or compliance.
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