Fake @KrisKobach Twitter Account
[Updated] The election process is confusing enough to voters without intentional misrepresentation via new media on Twitter and blogs.
Yesterday, someone used Kris Kobach’s name to setup a fake Twitter account, which could be used to send out Tweets that appear to be from the Kansas Secretary of State candidate. Obviously such messages could be used to embarrass Kobach or confuse voters at times that are unpredictable.
Do we really want voters or the press being mislead like this in our statewide elections? Twitter should allow removal of such Twitter accounts. If they do not, perhaps Twitter may be subject to law suits about facilitating identity theft.
The first two updates on the fake KrisKobach Twitter account could mislead some into thinking Kobach actually posted them:
Damn you @KansasDems! Leave me alone. Obama is not American, he’s different than us — whoops, I mean, he’s an “elitist”!
Damn LIBERAL media is attacking me! FAIR is not a racist hate group! I don’t care what you say: http://tinyurl.com/n6mkcm
If someone were to retweet (RT) such updates, would the RT recipients clearly know the original Tweet was from a fake Kris Kobach?
Only if one goes to the KrisKobach profile page on Twitter does one learn this is a fake Kris Kobach:
Name Kris Kobach
Location Batshit Crazy, Kansas
Bio I am running for Kansas of Sec. of State to BATTLE THE FORCES OF EVIL!!!!!111 Liberals, facts, and ACORN be damned! (Disclamer: I am not the REAL Kris Kobach.)
In March both the KansasJackass on the left and the Kansas Meadowlark on the right condemned the fake blog and Facebook group setup to confuse voters about Sue Boldra in the 1st District Congressional race in Western Kansas. With the unusual absence of the KansasJackass in the Kansas blogosphere, will a leader on the left show leadership and condemn this identity theft?
A FakeKrisKobach Twitter account would not be misleading to voters, but a fake Twitter account named KrisKobach certainly is.
On Monday an anti-Sam Brownback Twitter account was setup but with a name that was not misleading. Voters or the press should not be confused and should immediately know that @TheAntiSam Twitter account was setup by the left in Kansas to harm Brownback politically. Sadly, info on that Twitter profile is more about insults, name calling and impugning the character of Brownback than a fair discussion of the issues.
Oddly, the most recent fake KrisKobach follower is TheAntiSam.
UPDATE (July 15, 3 PM): There is fairness in Kansas! The material was removed from the fake KrisKobach site and moved to a new FakeKrisKobach Twitter account. On the original Twitter feed now:
To be fair to the REAL Kris Kobach, this account has been moved. All Kobach mocking will be found @FakeKrisKobach. That is all.
Politicians are subject to public mocking, but at least there’s no confusion for voters and the press now.
The latest Tweet at the new FakeKrisKobach Twitter feed is amusing:
Bloggers, illegal immigrants, ACORN, mermaids, and probably the un-American Obama himself have forced me to move my Twitter!
Related:
- Political skullduggery in Republican 1st District Congressional Race, Kansas Meadowlark, March 3, 2009.
Tags: identity theft, Kris Kobach, Twitter
