Tackling Twitter and Facebook Fakes: ID Theft in Social Media

World Data Protection Report 2012, Vol. 12, Issue 4, p. 1-3

3 Pages Posted: 29 Apr 2012 Last revised: 19 Mar 2014

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: March 28, 2012

Abstract

Brief article on how to tackle identity theft in social media such as Twitter and Facebook. General comparative analysis on developments in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. Discusses recent legislation in California (article 528.5 of the Californian Penal Code) which prohibits "knowingly and without consent credibly impersonating another person on the internet." Contains a brief practical outline of various options for taking legal action against such forms of ID theft in social media and the distinction with parody or clearly fake user accounts.

Also critizes Twitter and Facebook for failing to ensure proper verification of users before opening social media accounts and suggests fiduciary duty to do so.

Note: At the publisher's request, this article was also published in World Communications Regulation Report 2012 Vol. 7, Issue 4, p. 1-3.

Keywords: Identity theft, ID, theft, privacy, social media, Twitter, Facebook, tort, personal name, 528, fraud, impersonation, Ficq, Firsht, Applause Store, fake, user accounts, internet, law, Zuckerberg, Tsoutsanis

JEL Classification: O34, K42

Suggested Citation

Tsoutsanis, Alexander, Tackling Twitter and Facebook Fakes: ID Theft in Social Media (March 28, 2012). World Data Protection Report 2012, Vol. 12, Issue 4, p. 1-3, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2047190

Alexander Tsoutsanis (Contact Author)

DLA Piper ( email )

Prinses Amaliaplein 3
Amsterdam, 1077 XS
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.dlapiper.com/en/netherlands/people/t/tsoutsanis-alexander/

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