PM's Twitter parody accounts still active

NEW DELHI, INDIA: For a microblogging Website Twitter, the Indian government is coming head-on. This time around, the matter is not restricted to hate content. Sarcasm, mockery, misrepresentation and parody accounts may no longer be a Twitter’s trait.

With fake accounts that disdain Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is the real bone of contention.

There exist more than a dozen fake accounts that feign the Indian PM. The microblogging site though, has shut down just six such accounts so far, although there are currently 10 accounts that misrepresent the PM.

Also read: Cyber thugs mock Pranab Mukherjee

Besides cyber crooks, the possibility of political rivals, indulging in smear campaign, however, can’t be ruled out. One such tweet says: “Its bullshit!! For past 65 years only one party has rocked & that's Congress. NDA is a fascist racket run by upper caste. #NDArocks.”

PM’s parody account; @the IndianPM via HootSuit, just an hour ago tweets: “How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.” On Aug 19, it tweeted: “Facebook added an option that lets people know you're pregnant. They should've also added nobody cares option.”

Twitter, albeit allow burlesque accounts, but in order to curb impersonation, it facilitates verified accounts to celebrities and political personalities. A PMO official said that they are open to government criticism but misrepresentation of the PM's office is objectionable.

Cyberlaw expert Praveen Dalal feels that blocking of objectionable Webpages is not a belated move, but sincere and concrete security efforts by the Indian government are highly needed. ”Only a harmonized international legal framework could counter the microblogging menace,” Dalal added.

Latest Update

Micro-blogging site Twitter has promised to cooperate with the government after the Prime Minister's Office complained to it about objectionable content on six accounts resembling the PMO's official account, according to an NDTV report.