Imitation on the internet is most certainly not advisable. The general rule of thumb is you will get found out, no matter how anonymous you may think you are. But when the question of imitation comes up for the sites hosting those fake profiles, it can be an altogether more serious situation.
Facebook, Mark Zuckerburg’s social networking behemoth, can probably ride out just about any lawsuit you’d wish to throw at it, but negative publicity remains problematic. That publicity revolves largely around issues of privacy, but celebrity imitation is always newsworthy too.
So Facebook is in for a bit of a shoeing in the Italian press as one of the country’s most famous sporting sons looks set to sue the company following a rather serious case of imitation.
According to Goal.com, iconic Juventus and Italy footballer Alessandro Del Piero is to take legal action after a fake profile appeared in his name. That’s bad enough – nobody likes being impersonated.
But this incident was much more sinister. From Goal.com:
“The profile had links to a Nazi propaganda group and it contains pictures of Del Piero, which have led the striker to consider taking action for defamation.”
I’ll be honest – I’d probably sue as well. But it’s a big challenge for Facebook and its competitors to do anything other than reactively remove accounts and take further action.
To my mind, there’s no way to pre-empt attacks like this (certainly no easy way). What can be done about impersonation on online social networks? Is there a way to prevent celebrities having their identities abused in such a manner?
I suppose the more worrying thing for society is that people so blindly believe that people profiles like Del Piero’s are genuine. With the public so ready to believe that, he almost has to sue very publicly to clear his name.
Facebook, privacy, social networking
Well, that’s something to think about for social network bosses. While some poeple, like showbizz begineers, would love to have lots of fakes whatever thay post to provide them popularity… It might be dangerous.
In this case I’d say that’s the same as with Phelps smoking pot thing. Ones having head on their shoulders won’t follow Phelps, Del Piero or their fakes if they see something wrong. The problem are those who don’t have their own opinion – but it’s not a problem facebook can solve.
[...] the wrong side of Italian football. In February, Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero threatened to sue Facebook after a profile imitating him was found to have links to a Nazi propaganda [...]