Why some people is attacking others in Twitter

It's strange to be writing this, but I have no other way, first, to let the people know that someone is copying various accounts on Twitter, impersonating them, copying their avatars, bio, site link and backgrounds to mislead their followers to think they are the person they're impersonating. I’m the latest person their impersonating and trying to harass.

And second, I want to express my theory of why is this happening? Well, I've been thinking about this since the impersonation of various people I follow and respect started.

In some cases seems to be something personal, by the way the fake accounts tweets: something this person said or the fact that they have a lot of followers makes angry the author of the tweets and he's attacking them and trying to do as much damage to his image he can (and by impersonating them they also make people trust him and follow, so they can spread their "ideas" to more and more twitterers).

In other cases, it's a political issue. And I think in my case and at least one of my friends this is what happened. Why I say so? Well, for starters, we are in getting closer to an important election. I write in this blog and in the Spanish one stuff about Mexican politics. I express my views in Twitter (particularly, I have participated in some conversations about politics).

And the thing that I believe caused most of the anger of this person: I helped, with various others twitterers, to discover some accounts of a national newspaper were fake and were spreading mostly opinions, without saying 'this is an editorial', instead of news.

I'm talking of my case, but I believe in the case of other harassed people this is what's happening also: something they said about politics or something they do about those fake accounts or other fake accounts trying to influence people in certain way bothered this person.

And that's why I believe there's intolerance in Mexico. It seems to me that some intolerant people can't stand a person express their views (without trying to make others to think like him/her). Their response is to attack.

Well, I'm not going to enable this person by answering their attacks or even reading their tweets. I have a work (even if it's at home and freelance, I have a compromise to do it as good as I can), a family and problems to solve that are way too important to answer someone blinded by their bigotry and intolerance.

I'm just doing this post as a warning to those who could be approached by this account, asking them to follow him or in other ways. Also, to tell you that I'm ignoring their tweets, but I'm reporting them to Twitter. Hopefully, Twitter can do something about this.

And also, as a reflection about how things work in Mexico lately. It seems that if a person expresses views that contradict somebody else, then someone is going to attack him/her. It's really sad.

I think that everyone has the right to express their views, particularly if they aren't trying to force you to think their way. I have moderate views; I believe we should vote for the candidates that offer better solutions, no matter what their party is. Also, I don't believe in racism or homophobia, because everyone has the right to be treated equal by the people and the law. I think in every problem we have we can reach a solution discussing this problems, not disqualifying the other.

I hope people can see the difference among those positions: intolerance and tolerance, and chooses to follow or read those who are not trying to force their way by attacking others.

Credibility and Internet

Possibly some people could say this two words cannot be together. Is credibility in Internet possible? How important is that you take care of your name or brand, watching that it is used with credibility and legitimacy on Internet?

Well, at least in the United States it is a fact that many people take this situations very seriously. The most recent case was Tony La Russa, the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, who filled a lawsuit against Twitter because someone tweeted in his name, using foul language and saying stuff he didn't like.
 

Just a little angry...

Maybe for Mexicans this is 'silly', but a for some people, companies and media in EU, his brand is very important and taking care of it in Internet is crucial.

A brand affected by a scandal or embarrassing situation must act fast or end up with a very bad image, like in those cases where people has reported objects or dirty stuff in fast food or the case of Domino's, when two employees put nasal mucus and saliva in sandwiches that they said were going to give to clients.

There are companies that by nature must take care of their credibility more than others, for instance, those who create news content (magazines, newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, news sites). If someone else uses their brand to misinformate, this could be a catastrophe in which users lost interest and trust in that company.

We have been seeing this kind of phenomena in Twitter lately, at least here in Mexico. At least a newspaper (La Jornada, which thanks to questions about his objetivity various users -including me- discovered that was a fake) had two fake accounts. Fortunately seems that Twitter suspended (at least temporarily) this accounts and both accounts lost all their followers.

I don't know why, but Mexican media isn't signing in to social media sites to protect their brands. It could be lack of human resources or just lack of interest in this kind of networks, but as users of this sites it's good to see Twitter is trying to do more in suspending fake accounts. As users, we will like to know that we are following the real thing and not accounts that use the name of a media company to tweet political stuff or try to influence people (particularly now that elections are close).

My rules on Twitter

Image via CrunchBase

For those reading this, yes, I also think it's a little strange having to say what are my rules on Twitter, but more people is following me (I'm not sure why are they following me, but thank you) and I think it's necessary to say how I'm going to behave on Twitter so you know what to expect.

• My first rule is: I follow everyone (except spam or bots) who wants to exchange data, news, conversation and who wants to dialogue (I don't like one way communication; I look for the possibility to talk to them and be answered). This means: I follow everyone, except those who want to flood my timeline with ads or personal content every 2 seconds. I don't mind at all if people doesn't think like I do, I just want them to be open to discuss and listen to me, and not to be angry or dismiss me if I don't think the same (and I offer to do the same). Sometimes I follow companies or people who doesn't dialogue but that I believe can give me interesting information. The rest are people I want to be able to talk with, exchange information, data or just get to know them. I think everyone has something interesting to say.
  
• If after trying to talk or exchange information I believe I'm annoying you with my tweets (particularly if you say it directly), I unfollow and I expect you to do the same. Why would I want to annoy you with my chat or content? Unfollowing someone is not 'hating' or 'loathing' that person or entity, I can't hate or loath someone I don't know (how could I know someone only by following them on Twitter?). I just think Twitter is a party where you should behave with civility, so if my conversation doesn't interest someone, I just move and find someone who feels interest about it.
• Same principle, if someone unfollows me, I try not to take it personal. For me, it only means he/she didn't find value in what I'm saying and it's ok. I think we can't expect our tweets to be loved or liked by everyone. I think that getting angry for something that happens every day (that someone doesn't want to listen to you or read you) simply because on Twitter you can tell that it happened (because you can see who unfollowed you) it's not logical. In 'real life' people just dismiss you or stops reading your content (your blog, your tumblr, etc.) if they don't like it and you just don't notice it. Why take it personal?
  
• I will try to respond every reply or DM that you send, but sometimes they just don't reach. TweetDeck isn't working right for me lately (some tweets are lost in limbo) and sometimes your tweets are so many they just delete themselves in my timeline before I can read it. So, if I don't answer, I'm not ignoring you, I want to engage, but sometimes this is difficult.
  
• What I say, RT or comment on Twitter is just my opinion. I don't want to impose anything to anybody. Sometimes I strongly express my feelings or beliefs, but this doesn't mean I expect anybody to think or do the same that I do. I don't think anybody (even famous or known people) can expect that those who follow them do what they say or think what they think, even if people like them.
  
• If someone insults me without any reason at all or insults someone I follow, I will block you. I just think there's no need to use foul language if I'm not insulting you and something annoys you. Also, if you mistreat someone I know, what can expect you to do if you follow me?
  

Well, these are my rules on Twitter. As I said in the beginning, my idea is letting you know what I want to obtain in this social network. I believe there's a lot to obtain in this social network, but also, there's the possibility of hurting feelings.

So, if I say exactly how I will use Twitter and why I do some things, I hope that you will understand that I want to use it the best way I can, without creating uncomfortable situations.

For me it is not true that Twitter makes you insensitive, it's just that you don't see a face in front of you, but you see other things: emotions, tastes, feelings, ideas. So, I think I'm going to behave with certain rules because I want to treat right those people behind a computer. With this I want to conclude: I respect you all, even if you disagree with me, and I really appreciate the possibility of talking with you.