Fake John Banks tweets offend By KIRSTY JOHNSTON - Stuff
Last updated 09:29 20/09/2010
A Twitter user impersonating Auckland mayor John Banks online could soon be shut down after followers confused him with the real deal and took offence.
Banks’ election campaign team have laid a complaint with Twitter, saying the fake account needs to be more clearly marked as parody or better, taken down.
The account, @johnbanksmayor has been tweeting since September 14, using a photo of Banks and the bio “It's going to take consistent, decisive leadership from day one.”
Tweets so far have included his environmental policy: “I prefer penguins to people. This means equal opportunity employment for penguins,” messages to followers: “Vote for whomever you like,” and more about penguins: “Jobs for penguins. Training for penguins. Hip hop tours for penguins.”
The account differs radically from Banks’ official site, @mayorjohnbanks, which posts messages such as “Went to the Pet Expo at the North Shore Events Centre, a great event, big crowds, lots of families, and well organised,” and seldom engages in conversations with fellow tweeters.
However, Banks’ campaign manager Aaron Bhatnagar said some supporters had become upset after confusing the accounts.
“The person is clearly impersonating John Banks and contacting people pretending to be John Banks,” Bhatnagar said.
“Some tweets are silly and ludicrous but people have been confused.”
Bhatnagar said it was clearly in breach of Twitter’s conditions, which say parody accounts need to be clearly marked as fake.
“Hopefully, that will happen. It would be even better if it was taken down.”
Twitter had responded to the complaint saying it would investigate.
Parody Twitter accounts, especially of politicians, are becoming increasingly popular.
In New Zealand former (and dead) Prime Minister Rob Muldoon has an account, tweeting mainly obnoxious messages about whisky and politics: “Scotch. Check. Horse tranqs. Check. Important documents. Check. Scotch. Double check. All set for another sitting week.”
There are also accounts for Helen Clark, Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Willie Apiata, weather presenter Toni Marsh and Labour leader Phil Goff.
Top five things @johnbanksmayor stands for. Tweeted from his parody account:
1. Lower rates. At the cost of transport, business, quality of life, community, people.
2. Events. High brow only: Olympics, west end, Shakespeare.
3. Safer communities. A boring, lifeless cbd. #littlesoullesscity
4. The environment. I prefer penguins to people. This means equal opportunity employment for penguins.
5. Transport. This is the lowest priority. There's nothing wrong with transport in Auckland. Everything's fine. No change.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/4145505/Fake-John-Banks-tweets-offend
