I learn all sorts of things on Twitter from real people, credible people — experts in law, governance, elections, science. You know, facts along with their opinions about those facts.
So what is fake on Twitter?
Just now I found a tweet from a guy I follow. What he reports is pretty startling. And I’m startled that I can still be startled over things like this.
That’s a photo of Mark Hertling.
He’s a real person, with a powerful c.v., a retired lieutenant general who is an intelligence, security and terrorism analyst.
Here’s what he posted today on Twitter:
Hey, @Twittersupport, how about deleting this fake GOP congressman @repstevensmith with 70k followers. He’s repping himself as a member of Congress, from a district that doesn’t exist, and he’s spreading misinformation.
I’m up on trolls, Russian or otherwise. And I certainly know how to separate facts from fakes. But a fake congressman from a non-existent district? This is new to me. So I just checked to make sure of the facts.
Yep, Gen. Hertling is right. There is no 15th Congressional District in Georgia; ergo, no congressman representing it.