Fake twitter account performing dirty tricks in SF City Council Race.

Pat Powers

This just popped up on Twitter. But unfortunately, it’s a fake twitter account, and illustrative of a problem with the social media platform:

If you look at the “Alex Jensen for Sioux Falls” account at https://twitter.com/AlexJensen4SF, it looks fairly authentic. But it’s not. In fact, it’s what some might call a “deep fake.”

In speaking to people with the Alex Jensen for City Council campaign, not only is it not the candidate, but the fake twitter account has actually blocked Jensen himself (as supplied to me by the candidate):

So Jensen, whose real twitter account is @byalexjensen, is finding his twitter account not just being spoofed by someone hoping to capture traffic, with the above tweet, it seems that it’s being used for some fairly dirty tricks.

In fact, if you saw just the tweet at the top of the page, you’d have no idea. You have to click into the account to realize that the account is fake, with a very minor notation claiming that it’s “parody,” which I’m told might have only recently been added.

Nevermind it’s not indicative of parody, it’s a duplication of the original account, down to the photograph, which is going to be protected by copyright for the photographer.  If it’s parody, as they claim, why do they have to block the real Alex Jensen, and duplicate his content down to the picture? Especially when you can’t see their claim of “parody” when they tweet.

The account duplication is a move from something that might be able to pass as parody into a realm of dirty tricks. And one that doesn’t reflect very well on the person (or people) running it.

34 thoughts on “Fake twitter account performing dirty tricks in SF City Council Race.”

    1. Just to clarify: As of right now, Alex Jensen is the one and only Republican seeking election to this office. Correct?

        1. My opinion means little, but people have asked me why so many Sioux Falls Republicans back Jensen. First and foremost, Alex is running for City Council. Stehly is not running. Many believe that, ultimately, she’ll run for the House of Representatives. Regardless — she is not, currently, a candidate. Second, Alex has done a phenomenal job. He’s held nice events, answered questions, and contributed to help his fellow Republicans. That’s impressive. Putting others first is a great way to make friends. Finally, Theresa demands the GOP denounce/ reject Republicans she deems unorthodox. She’s entitled to her view, of course, but the path of political puritanism is a lonely walk. Theresa bickered with Sioux Falls’ popular mayor and its dynamic councilwoman, Christine Erickson. Theresa harangues other well-liked Republicans. I’m not saying she’s dead wrong every time. She fights for smaller budgets and lower taxes. She wants tornado sirens to work. So far so good. But she’s rarely “South Dakota nice.” She loses her temper, she attacks people, and she seems… very angry. If she attends an event, folks worry it might erupt into an unpleasant imbroglio. No, that doesn’t always happen, but folks worry that it will.

          I’m no saint. I lose my temper, too. And with all the weird stuff online, I get some of the paranoia. Theresa, if you’re reading, please take a deep breath & pray for patience. Most South Dakotans are good people. SD Republicans are (in the main) hard-working patriots who cherish liberty. Who’s the enemy? MS-13 gangsters, meth dealers, sex traffickers, & the psychos murdering folks on London Bridge and in Jersey City’s Kosher Market. We’re surrounded by *real* dangers. Centrists who want a new sewage treatment center do not pose an existential threat. It’s perfectly ok to oppose civic improvements. They’re expensive. Please vote “nay” as your conscience directs. But there’s no cause to blow a gasket if & when someone demurs. Just my 2 cents.

  2. Here’s a theory: Briggs Warren: other previously deleted tweets from the fake account reference Saudi Arabia and disparaged 9/11 victims while referencing GOP Chair Lederman. Briggs personal Twitter account also rails against Lederman and mentions Saudi Arabia in some of those tweets. Failed City Council candidate. Serial Twitter troll.

    2. When I have a problem with someone I use my own accounts. I have no problem with Alex Jensen.

      Do I mock some of the members of the SDGOP like Neal Tapio, Stace Nelson or Lora Hubble*? Yes I do. But even the author of this blog takes shots at them.

      It is true I take issue with the GOP chairs former job employment as a lobbyist against victims of 9/11 seeking what they viewed as justice. I take issue with Obama’s veto of the legislation and support Sen Thune and Sen Rounds vote to override that veto.

      *I am to lazy to check what party Hubbel is currently registered with.

      1. Dude. We know it’s you. You’re tweets about Lederman and 9/11 that you accidentally tweeted from the fake account gives you away.

        You’ve also tweeted from the fake account about Lederman being a traitor and then deleted it.

        It’s so obvious.

            1. “We know it’s you.” – C’est toi.

              No you don’t, you have no clue who’s posting from that account, but we can see you desperately want to know.

                1. People are leading you and, oh, how easily it is to get you to follow. You’re not as clever as you think.

      2. Your Facebook post about Alex’s fundraiser in September seems to say otherwise. You seem to very much against Alex as you said that if anyone is wondering who to vote against in the council election, then you post a picture of him. That was September 7. The very next day the fake Alex Jensen account starts tweeting (although you’ve had it since August of 2019).

  3. Notice that Bruce Danielson’s (a political operative of Stehly’s) account is “Citizens4SF”. This fake account is “AlexJensen4SF.” Coincidence?

    2. I think it’s brig warrens before it would ever be Bruce, this wouldn’t be Briggs first time trying to get republicans to look bad.
      From Stace Nelson to Dan Lederman, he’s done it.

      1. My problem with Dan Lederman is a bipartisan “beef” pertaining to a specific undisputed fact. Obama and Dan were on the same side and I disagree with it. Also if the parties flipped you all would be making the same argument.

        Stace Nelson can claim he never messaged me but it’s been two months now and I’m yet to see Stace report me to the AG like he claimed he did. That’s because he knows he can’t file a false report.

        I’m really surprised so many Republican in this state are concerned with a college senior who only has 334 followers on Twitter and no political position or job.

  7. To be clear, there is no Constitutional right to be intentionally deceptive.

    What the government can do about deception in commercial speech (e.g. false advertising), against individuals (e.g. slander and libel), and against public safety (yelling fire in a theatre) is defined. In political speech, the sanctions are harder.

    That said, the intentionally misleading and theft of Jensen’s identity is not protected speech and most easily addressed under civil remedies granted to Alex as an individual and some criminal violations.

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