This article from the New York Times addresses the growing trend of fake Twitter accounts; most of them are created to poke fun at their real-life doppelganger, but they are simultaneously serving a real and serious purpose.
The article links to the fake account of Rahm Emanuel, who tweets about his life on the campaign trail in Chicago. His tweets are filled with profanity and hilarious happenings (like making m***** f****** snow angels); but probably the most humorous aspect of the fake Twitter accounts is how dangerously close they tread to the real life person. In the case of Rahm Emanuel, it’s no secret that his reputation inside the Beltway imitates that of a cussing pitbull (without the lipstick). The fake Rahm is addressing the same political issues as the real Rahm - but with a parodic flare - and provides the real Rahm with a much-needed ego check. (Speaking of pitbulls with lipstick, Sarah Palin has a few fake Twitter accounts too.)
The NYT article focuses on the anonymity of these accounts, and how it has become a favorite pastime of Washington’s political insiders to crack who is behind the curtain. There is a broader message gleaned from these fake Twitter accounts, however, at least in the realm of online politics. In electoral campaigns, these fake Twitter accounts have the potential to serve as third-party validators (or message disseminators). During a campaign, the fake Twitter account can be an outlet for opponents to distribute negative messages; alternatively, they can serve as a platform for candidates (through a phony twin) to respond to negative messages, or possible hot water in general, in a humorous and satiric way. It is yet to be determined if a real candidate is actually witty enough to pull one of these off intentionally without being outed. Until then, we'll continue to laugh at the professional phonies.
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