Technology
AOC threatens to leave Twitter after Musk promotes parody account impersonating her
The congresswoman claimed that the social media account was “releasing false policy statements” concerning climate change, immigration, and other issues
May 31, 2023 8:21am
Updated: May 31, 2023 8:21am
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday threatened to leave Twitter after CEO Elon Musk promoted an account that was impersonating her.
“FYI there's a fake account on here impersonating me and going viral,” AOC tweeted.
The congresswoman claimed that the social media account, named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody), was “releasing false policy statements” concerning climate change, immigration, and other issues.
To make windmills more effective - when the wind doesn’t blow, we should have helicopters hover over each of them and keep them turning year round.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody) (@AOCpress) May 30, 2023
“I am assessing with my team how to move forward,” Ocasio-Cortez told her 13.4 million followers. “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.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2023
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.
AOC’s threat’s come after Twitter CEO Elon Musk engaged with the parody account that uses the same profile picture as the congresswoman, responding to a tweet it posted saying “This might be the wine talking but I’ve got a crush on @ElonMusk.”
Musk replied to the tweet with a fire emoji, a move that AOC claims boosted the parody account’s traffic. “The Twitter CEO has engaged it, boosting visibility," she said.
🔥
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2023
The tweet was not the first time the account posted about Musk. In the past, the parody account tweeted: “[Elon Musk] my boyfriend is at Target and my DMs are open. You know what to do.”
The parody account also posted a series of tweets reacting to AOC’s threats on Tuesday. “I can’t believe someone would do that to us,” the parody account said.
“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 posted. “Parody should be illegal.”
“FYI... I have no problem with parody accounts,” the parody account said in a follow-up tweet, “just the ones that make fun of me.”
According to Twitter’s policies, any account that has the word “parody” in its username and biography does not violate the social media platform’s user guidelines.
I can’t believe someone would do that to us. https://t.co/8fHiPFgHIv
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody) (@AOCpress) May 30, 2023
