New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned of a Twitter account “impersonating” her.
The account in question, @AOCpress, currently labels itself “parody” in their bio.
“FYI there’s a fake account on here impersonating me and going viral,” the New York representative wrote. “The Twitter CEO has engaged it, boosting visibility.”
“It is releasing false policy statements and gaining spread.”
“I am assessing with my team how to move forward,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. “In the meantime, be careful of what you see.”
FYI there’s a fake account on here impersonating me and going viral. The Twitter CEO has engaged it, boosting visibility.
It is releasing false policy statements and gaining spread.
I am assessing with my team how to move forward. In the meantime, be careful of what you see.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2023
Shortly after Ocasio-Cortez’s post informing users about the parody account, @AOCpress posted, “Parody should be illegal.”
“After brainstorming with my staff – I’m going to push Congress to make it illegal to joke, laugh, or make fun of me,” the account wrote.
After brainstorming with my staff – I’m going to push Congress to make it illegal to joke, laugh, or make fun of me.
Parody should be illegal.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody) (@AOCpress) May 30, 2023
“FYI … I have no problem with parody accounts,” the account continued in a separate post. “Just the ones that make fun of me.”
In another post, @AOCpress copied and shared the New York representative’s previous tweet word for word.
I can't believe people would think these parody tweets are from our office when they are clearly fake.
Come on y'all you know I would never say something as stupid as that.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody) (@AOCpress) May 30, 2023
Shortly after, the account posted, “I can’t believe people would think these parody tweets are from our office when they are clearly fake.”
“Come on y’all you know I would never say something as stupid as that,” the account joked.
The account continued mocking the incident in a series of tweets.
“I’m having my staff report every single tweet that makes fun of me to the DOJ,” the account wrote.
Twitter owner and interim CEO Elon Musk has replied to the account’s previous posts.
In a Sunday post, the account tweeted, “this might be the wine talking, but I’ve got a crush on Elon Musk.”
Musk replied with a fire emoji.
🔥
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2023
Per Twitter’s terms of service, accounts are allowed to assume the identity of notable persons so long as they “distinguish themselves in their account name, and in their bio.”
Musk and Ocasio-Cortez previously traded barbs following the tech billionaire’s acquisition of the company last year.
The tech billionaire opted to modify the platform’s previous practice of “verifying” notable accounts with a blue checkmark in favor of allowing users to verify their accounts through their phone number by subscribing to the outlet’s Twitter Blue service.
“Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is bull—-,” Musk announced in an early November tweet. “Power to the people! Blue for $8/month.”
Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is bullshit.
Power to the people! Blue for $8/month.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2022
Musk further announced Twitter Blue subscribers would receive priority algorithm placement in replies, mentions, and search — which Musk described as “essential” to defeat spam and scams on the platform. Users will also have the ability to make longer video and audio posts along with experiencing “half as many ads.”
Musk has not addressed the New York representative’s post as of Tuesday evening.
