adminAn article on the state-run Cubadebate Web site accused Twitter of allowing an account holder with the sign-on “Naroh” to start the rumour on Monday from an Italian server, possibly after it was taken over by a “robot”. It says the account was then quickly deactivated.
It said Twitter then helped spread the disinformation by allowing the hash tag “fidelcastro” to become a trending topic. It briefly became the fourth most popular in the world as it drew many more people to the subject.
The site also accused Twitter of censoring subjects in the past that were in favour of the Cuban government.
A Twitter spokesperson, Jodi Olson, said the company had no comment on the specifics of Cuba’s complaint, but added “as you know, we don’t mediate content”. Rumours that a celebrity or other public figure is dead are common on social media sites and can spread quickly because of their nature.
“Naroh,” whose account was in active use on Wednesday, was one of more than 50 Twitter users to retweet a message that was a joke in fact casting doubt on the rumours of Castro’s death. He and others were posting other, mostly sarcastic, messages about the rumour at the same time. The account’s owner lists his name as “Naroh – David Fdez,” and his biography identifies him as a 20-year-old living “between Asturias and Madrid” in Spain.
Reached via Twitter on Wednesday, the owner of the account reacted with shock and amusement. “Obviously I didn’t start anything,” he tweeted back to an AP reporter. Asked which of his tweets may have gotten Havana’s attention, he said he had no idea, that his posts were jokes and that the topic was already trending when he got involved. — Al Jazeera.
Online Reporter