Chishti: require ID for Twitter accounts

The real Rehman Chishti, MP for Gillingham and Rainham and Rainham Central councillor, yesterday broke his silence over being faked on Twitter.

In a question to the Leader of the House of Commons, George Young, Cllr Chishti said that he found the affair “completely unacceptable”, which Mr Young suggested “would be a matter for the police”.

“Last week, following a phone call from a journalist,” Cllr Chishti said, “I discovered that a fake Twitter account had been set up by somebody purporting to be me, which I found completely unacceptable.

“That can happen to anyone across the country and can cause unnecessary nuisance. I ask the Leader of the House for an urgent debate on the responsibilities of social media and networking sites, and on whether one should have to provide some form of identification to set up an account.”

Mr Young replied “I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that matter. No one has done me the flattery of setting up such an account in my name, so far as I am aware.

“I think that I am right in saying that social media organisations usually insist on the name being the same as that of the applicant. If there is any question of impersonation, there is a process by which they take the account down. Of course, if any fraud were involved, it would be a matter for the police.

“I will raise with Department for Culture, Media and Sport Ministers the abuse to which my hon. Friend has referred. I hope that no lasting injury has been done to his reputation.”