As the popularity of social networking site Facebook grows, the number of fake profiles is steadily increasing. The site, which has recently recorded over 200 million members, has had to deal with an increasing number of fake online profiles.
Despite the site prohibiting the creation of fake profiles, for satirical or other purposes, the trend is growing locally. Some of the more popular politicians who have had fake profiles created in their names include former president Thabo Mbeki, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Cope leader Mosiua Lekota and deputy minister of policing Fikile Mbalula.
“There is a general growth of fake profiles on Facebook and its mostly fun and for satirical purposes,” says Arthur Goldstuck, MD World Wide Worx
But while Madikizela-Mandela threatened court action, saying the profile on Facebook amounted to identity theft, other politicians and several celebrities alerted Facebook of the profiles and called for them to be taken down.
“Facebook can be blamed if the profile is not timeously taken down,” says Goldstuck.
Locally, Facebook can be taken to court if it fails to take down a fake profile. Libel, crimen injuria and fraud are just some of the charges that can be laid.
Fair game
Despite setting out in its terms and conditions that using someone else's name in the creation of a Facebook profile is prohibited, the trend is on the rise. Goldstuck notes that entertainers are often subject to fake profiles and they are more likely to report the fake profile than politicians.
“Zuma, for instance, would not be too concerned with a fake profile. There is an assumption that, as a prominent politician, he is fair game,” says Goldstuck.
However, celebrities are a different matter. “There can be a lot of damage for the entertainer. When the fake profile is used to conduct business and impact on the living of entertainers, it can become dangerous,” says Goldstuck.
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