Follow Us

Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Intellectual Property Social Media

Impersonation on Social Media: The Increasing Challenges of Verification

The recent flurry of online impersonators, ranging from accounts posing as President Joe Biden to the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, exposes the challenges of social media platforms’ verification and authentication processes.

X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

Among the ways social media platforms have tried to distinguish notable account holders such as celebrities, public figures, and brand names from impostors and inspire trust on their platforms, the blue checkmark appears to be most popular. Social media platforms have traditionally recognized such accounts by adding the blue checkmark next to the handles once the platforms have verified the authenticity of the accounts. However, the recent flurry of online impersonators, ranging from accounts posing as President Joe Biden to the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, exposes the challenges of social media platforms’ verification and authentication processes. Indeed, Twitter recently altered course with the “Twitter Blue” program, which is an “opt-in, paid monthly subscription that adds a blue checkmark to [an] account ….” Soon thereafter were reports of an increase in impersonation on the platform, with accounts purportedly owned by companies and public figures posting misleading or false content. These recent events show that monitoring and policing trademark infringements and right of publicity violations can be increasingly difficult in the social media context.

This premium content is locked for The Intellectual Property Strategist subscribers only

Continue reading by getting
started with a subscription.

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW PRACTITIONERS.
  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical analysis of developments in patent, copyright and trademark law
  • Tap into expert guidance from top intellectual property lawyers and experts

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Subscribe Now For Unlimited Access

Read These Next