BBC Newsreader George Alagiah is being faked on Facebook
BBC News anchor George Alagiah is seemingly quite chatty on Facebook - telling us about his latest tie or how he has finally gotten round to watching Revenge of the Sith and discovering how Darth Vader came to be. Only it isn't George Alagiah - someone has spoofed his account and is passing themselves off as the newsreader. I know this because George Alagiah told me he is not on Facebook!
I met him last week and had 'Liked' George Alagiah on Facebook ahead of the encounter. However, when I met the journalist - who incidentally was charming - I mentioned this. He was confident he was not on Facebook and said that the BBC had quite strong views on this and had advised he and his colleagues so.
Going back to the fake profile I also spotted typos that no self respecting BBC journalist would let slide. So 180 people are currently 'Liking' someone who is pretending to be the newsreader. While the comments the fraudster is publishing are innocent enough, imagine if they chose to be more controversial? Think how this might reflect on the man and the BBC?
So Berkshire PR and Social Media Consultancy Morgan PR has effectively exposed a fake Facebook account for the high profile BBC journalist - and I've posted the following update which has yet to elicit a response from whoever is pretending to be George!
How did I come to meet him? Well, for some seven years now I have been a School Governor at the John O'Gaunt Community Technology College and the prize giving ceremony each year is always a highlight as you get to see the students who have flourished gain recognition in front of their proud parents and peers.
Each year there is an illustrious speaker - last year it was Stuart 'Psycho' Pearce and some time before that it was... well me actually! This year it was George Alagiah and he had dashed out to Hungerford having presented Six O'Clock news and gave a lovely and quite humble talk to the students that clearly inspired quite a few of them. He also stayed afterwards posing for endless photographs - not least this one!
Now he was going to flag the bogus account with the BBC and no doubt their legal eagles will be getting in a flap with Facebook by now and I imagine the profile will soon disappear. You can read for yourself the BBC's editorial guidelines for its staff using social media and can quickly see why George Alagiah had steered clear of Facebook.
What if it happens to you? Well, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (or presumably members of his team!) maintain a lively discussion board on Facebook, which includes advice should you discovering someone is impersonating you on Facebook which could prove helpful if you find yourself in the same situation as George Alagiah - without the might of the BBC to help.
Have you spotted any dubious accounts on Facebook? Tell us in the comments below!