You’d think the bio would give it away: “Born in the UK. Unable to achieve much, so emigrated to South Africa where I have used my communication skills to get employed as a token white face with the Congress of South African Trade Unions.”
But a quick scan of “Patrick Craven’s” Facebook wall posts should have you convinced that this is not the genuine Cosatu spokesperson: “COSATU notes with regret the damage we have caused to the economy and the future of South Africa’s youth by engaging in the strike action. Fortunately Cde Vavi and myself never lost any money and we get paid from the members subs.”
The creator of the page, who did not reveal his identity to the Mail & Guardian, said in an email that he set up the fake profile to see how gullible the general public really is.
“I tested the water by posting some updates that are so outrageous as to be obviously false, but people are so blinkered and blind to what politicians say that they just accept whatever ‘Patrick’ says,” he told the M&G.
Creating a fake Facebook profile is incredibly easy. All you need is a name and an email address, and you’re set.
Among the known fake profiles of public figures out there are JuJu Malema — “I firmly believe it’s the right of every man, woman & child to love me and obey me & serve me equally as I rise to become Africa’s next great dictatah!” — and Bob Mugabe, who has commented on everything from Blue Bull’s Bees Roux’s arrest to US pastor Terry Jones’s threats to burn the Qur’an.
Twitter, the micro-blogging service where fake or spoof accounts have flourished like mushrooms after the rain, is in the process of testing verification solutions for public figures, governments and organisations. Known as “phweeting” (phony Tweeting), satirical Twitter accounts of world leaders include everyone from George W Bush to Kim Jong-il and Osama Bin Laden.
At the beginning of this year much excitement was created around ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema joining Twitter. While the @Julius_S_Malema account turned out to be fake, it still has many people confused.
ANC Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said at the time: “We don’t follow up on petty issues. We have bigger battles to fight and this internet doesn’t even speak to our people.”
But the real Craven told the M&G this week that he wants the fake “Patrick Craven” profile – whose friends include HIV/Aids activist Zackie Achmat, ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu, and Paul Mashatile, the Gauteng ANC chairperson — shut down.
Thami Pretorius, a Facebook user, commented on one of “Patrick Craven’s” status updates. She wrote disbelievingly, “You must be joking, I think Cosatu takes the workers more seriously than you make us believe. You can’t really be the real Patrick.”
But another user, Thabelo Mudzule, appeared to get the joke. “Patrick you are too funny for words to describe. Thanks for the free entertainment. Good to know that someone is living on the light side of things,” he wrote.
Facebook’s users can report a fake profile by clicking on the Report/block this person link on the offending profile, but that does not guarantee its removal.
In the digital age, it is becoming more important for people, particularly those in the public eye, to secure their online presence against impostors. Peter du Toit, co-founder of Social Media IQ, a new media consultancy and training company, had this to say: “It’s a new world. Public figures especially need to claim their names online or risk a fiasco.”
Priya Chetty, founder of Chetty Law, a specialist technology law firm, warns that the consequences of creating a fake Facebook profile are severe. The offender could be sued by Facebook for violating its terms of use, criminally prosecuted under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act because of the fraudulent profile information, or sued for defamation by the aggrieved person.
The person could also “claim damages suffered as a result of the attack on their character. This could for instance include loss of earnings if the person subsequently loses their job,” Chetty told the M&G.
But the fake “Patrick Craven” says he’ll keep on with the profile until “some bigot with no sense of humour complains and has the profile banned”.
“Either way, I had a bit of fun,” he said.
Twitter: it’s the satire that counts
@jacobzuma: just got letter from SA Council of Churches, condemning my Media Appeals Tribunal. But it’s ok for them to have the Inquisition. Hypocrites.
@realjacobzuma: Team-I welcome letters from the media. Mostly because I’m now banned from using the Constitution as a firestarter.
@RealRobMugabe: Congrats @Ralf_Ho! You’re my 800th genuine follower! You are now the lucky owner of a white man’s farm.
@theUSpresident: Sometimes I get the feeling the press just wants to see me without a shirt on.
@FakeSarahPalin: DO NOT MOCKLE OR QUESTIATE MY USE OF THE AMERICISH LANGUAGE. K? SRSLY>
South Africans politios with real Twitter accounts worth following:
@PresidencyZA
@HelenZille
@LindiMazibuko (DA MP)
@ianollis (DA MP)
@TimHarris (DA spokesperson)
@mgigaba (deputy Home Affairs minister)
@Jay_Naidoo