This is startling and worrying... when the top two authors on steemit are just self-vote schemes, we have a problem.
This stuff is inevitable at some level, but the very top users! No good.
Thanks for bringing this to light jerry. Unfortunately I don't see much of a way to help as a smaller user myself... but I guess awareness is step one.
That's a great observation. While we can expect scams and such to impact us from time to time, and to varying degrees, the fact that the two highest paid accounts are scams is exactly what you said - startling and disturbing.
Edit: followed. I have noted in the past your cogent comments, but was trying to keep my information overload under control. That's a silly excuse to miss your insights.
Thanks!