Rumors and false information already run rampant on the Internet—and now, thanks to the geniuses behind the site Lemme Tweet That For You, you can create screenshots of fake tweets for any Twitter handle.
Once you’re at the site, you can enter anyone’s Twitter handle and type a tweet. The site then pulls in the corresponding Twitter avatar, account details and even your custom Twitter background (if you have one) to create a fake tweet that you can screenshot—and that’s almost impossible to distinguish from a real one.
V3’s Chief Content Officer, Katy Schamberger, took the site for a test run—see the sort of blasphemy she associated with my name?
I love jokes. And sarcasm. And making people laugh. This site, however? Well, I think it’s not just dumb—it’s dangerous, too. Just think what sort of problems could arise if doctored tweets attributed to brands suddenly cause an Internet firestorm. Sure, you could go to that person or brand’s Twitter account and search for the tweet—but if a prankster claimed it was deleted, well, it becomes harder to dispel fact from fiction.
Journalists need to be careful, bloggers need to be careful, PR firms and agencies need to be uber aware of this idiotic site and do extra due diligence about the legitimacy of anything they see on Twitter.
What I find most ridiculous is that this site was created by a marketing agency, OKFocus. According to the agency’s About page, “OKFocus is a forward-thinking, technology-driven agency based in New York City. We implement cutting-edge technologies in culturally conscious ways.”
Wow. Really? Where’s that sarcasm font when you need it? I’m still scratching my head and trying to figure out how a site like Lemme Tweet That For You (and I loathe what they’re doing so much that I’m not going to reward them with a link to their site) is forward-thinking, cutting edge OR culturally conscious. And why in the world would a marketing agency be behind a tool with which their own clients could potentially be harmed?
Moral of the story? Check your facts. Please. Take an extra five seconds to find out if a tweet or Facebook or blog post is true before you fan the flames. I’m all for speaking out, whether online or in person—but if you don’t know what you’re talking about or don’t take the time to research something you’re supposedly so passionate about, well, it’s better to keep quiet.
What do you think of Lemme Tweet That For You? Are you fired up, too? Or do you think I need to take a cue from Frankie Goes To Hollywood and relax?
Image: koalazymonkey via Compfight cc
Shelly Kramer is a Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research. A serial entrepreneur with a technology centric focus, she has worked alongside some of the world’s largest brands to embrace disruption and spur innovation, understand and address the realities of the connected customer, and help navigate the process of digital transformation. She brings 20 years’ experience as a brand strategist to her work at Futurum, and has deep experience helping global companies with marketing challenges, GTM strategies, messaging develoment, and driving strategy and digital transformation for B2B brands across multiple verticals. Shelly’s coverage areas include Collaboration/CX/SaaS, platforms, ESG, and Cybersecurity, as well as topics and trends related to the Future of Work, the transformation of the workplace and how people and technology are driving that transformation. A transplanted New Yorker, she has learned to love life in the Midwest, and has firsthand experience that some of the most innovative minds and most successful companies in the world also happen to live in “flyover country.”