Finally! The issue of tweep (Twitter user) identity is one that has plagued me for a while. If Twitter expects to capitalize on enterprise users, and eventually charge them for usage, the issue of account security and verification has to be addressed.
I first encountered tweep identity as an issue in February when I began following comedian Demetri Martin. According to a tweet by Martin within days of opening his account, the “Twitter CIA” (as he called it) told Martin he had to change his username from “RealDemetri”. So Martin, in true Demetri humor, changed his name to “FakeDemetri”. As a tweep, I have almost as much issue with someone impersonating me online as I do with being told that I cannot use my own name as a username. This becomes increasingly relevant with more famous tweeps whose names are their brand.
This being said, I find it interesting that they cracked down on the “real” Demetri, but let “fake” Kanye accumulate over one million followers. While it may be true that Twitter didn’t know West’s account was fake, I would be interested to hear their rationale in cracking down on Demetri Martin, barely a blip in the Twitter Universe vs. a brand name like Kanye West, clearly a tweeting juggernaut even without the reality factor.
http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=466&doc_id=176693
May 19, 2009 at 5:03 pm
You raise a fair point. With the scores of “terms of use” stories between users and social networking sites, I wonder this sort of issue has yet to take hold of Twitter’s time in the sun. As the darling of social media these days I will say Twitter seems to be afforded some of the rights that come with all new social networks – the “wait and see” policy (de facto)that nearly all of the networks enjoyed in their infancies. But, as a Tweep, I’d like to see a more consistent approach taken by Twitter. Not only would it be fair and democratic – but it would send a clearer message to Tweeps (famous and not so famous) that their identities are as individual and unique on Twitter as they are in the ‘real’ world.
May 19, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Agreed! I think this is an issue that will serve Twitter to address sooner rather than later. While not ideal, the “wait and see” policy works for social media at present due to the innovation factor. For example, a set of rules that work for Facebook certainly won’t work for Twitter. I also don’t expect Twitter to anticipate issues before they arise, such as Tweep identity. That being said, staying on top of issues and changing accordingly is a good business practice. Thanks Capiteró.
June 5, 2009 at 11:27 am
[...] about the issues rap star Kanye West had with an imposter abusing his namesake on Twitter (post: Tweep Crackdown?). I would by no means ordinarily refer to West as a rational being, but compared to La Russa, West [...]