MP falls victim to bogus tweeter

LOCAL politicians have been moving into the digital era, with many setting up Facebook pages and Twitter sites. But beware what you read on some of them - because they may not be from who you think.

The latest politician to fall victim is Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson. Anyone looking at Twitter must have been astonished to see the following tweet posted - apparently from the MP.

"Brian Cowen is a soggy loaf of a man. Isn't there a police force in an American city that he can become chief of with a face like that?" it said, complete with a picture of the Lagan Valley MP.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Of course the Twitter account under the name jdonaldsonmp was set up without Mr Donaldson having any idea. Throughout this week's crisis talks at Hillsborough Castle aimed at resolving the ongoing issues surrounding the devolution of policing and justice where Mr Donaldson has been part of the DUP negotiating team, someone claiming to be the MP has been tweeting, making inappropriate comments about other politicians involved in the talks.

What makes it more difficult is that Mr Donaldson does have a genuine Facebook account which he uses to keep in touch with many of his constituents.

"I was pleasantly surprised at how successful my Facebook page has been and the response I have had from people from right across Northern Ireland who have been in touch through Facebook," he said. "I think the next step we would look at is opening a genuine Twitter account so that I can keep ahead of those who would seek to promote a bogus account in my name.

"I think it is important politicians should communicate with people more regularly. We have moved on from the era of public meetings and I find now I get a lot more correspondence through email and Facebook than through conventional means.

"There is no doubt that electronic communication is the way forward," he added.