If you are a regular Twitter user, you understand the #hashtag and its use on the platform. Following a hashtag is great for topics of interest like hobbies, industry, events, sports, and so much more!

And as a user, I know many people now watch TV and surf social media simultaneously. But why? So they can follow the conversation about their shows online (it’s simply a matter of holding a tablet/smart phone while you watch) to keep up with the hashtag (i.e., #TheWalkingDead).

Sadly, social media as of late has become more steadily infiltrated with spam, just like finding the bad apples in a barrel. They infect the Twitter stream with their frivolous content that interrupts the conversation and ruins the crop.

Experienced social media users can pick out the rotten fruit, block and report them as spam and move on. But, I’m worried about new users. People that are still just learning how to navigate the platform and are trying to maximize their time and gain value from using it. If they follow a hashtag down the spam rabbit hole, chances are they’ll get discouraged, and may even not participate.

So what to do? Act. I encourage you to block, report, and cast off any and all spam accounts when you encounter them to protect yourself and others.

Trust me, your fans, followers, and community will thank you for the fresh fruit remaining.

Duane Drzadinski is a salesman, social media strategist and consultant, husband and father of two. Connect with him and continue the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.