As UPSC results started pouring in, Twitteratis were in for a shock. There were at least a dozen Twitter handles in Shubham Kumar’s name, with ‘UPSC Topper’ and ‘AIR 1’ in their bio, replying to congratulatory messages from ministers, senior bureaucrats, and UPSC aspirants. It later emerged that all of them were fake accounts, as topper Shubham Kumar was not even present on the micro-blogging site. So, why do people create fake profiles of toppers and what vicarious pleasure do they get by impersonating celebrities? Indian Masterminds spoke to human behavior and mental health experts to find out.
UPSC TOPPERS LATEST VICTIMS OF IMPERSONATORS
After Subham Kumar’s name was added to the list of fake social media accounts, he created a Twitter handle, clearly mentioning in his bio – ‘I’m Shubham Kumar, All India Rank 1, CSE 2020. This is my personal account. Be aware of other fake accounts.’ He did so on the advice of his mentors in the National Association of Civil Servants (NACS), Patna.
However, Shubham is not the only one facing the problem of impersonation. There are roughly 3-4 fake social media accounts in the name of most UPSC toppers. And he is also not the only one to warn people about such accounts. IPS Shakti Avasthy, whose wife Dr. Pooja Gupta is also an IPS, posted a picture of the couple in uniform on Twitter, congratulating her on getting selected again in UPSC with a higher rank of 42, and, also, warning people not to create fake accounts in her name as she wasn’t present on Twitter.
TAKING PEOPLE FOR A RIDE
Many UPSC CS aspirants seeking guidance from toppers tend to follow such fake accounts on social media. The presence of such accounts makes it difficult for them to separate the grain from the chaff.
According to Dr Nahid Islam, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, GNRC Hospital, Guwahati, people create fake profiles of UPSC toppers or celebrities to feel important. By doing this, they are not only escaping their own identity but also impersonating another person to gain ‘fake recognition’.
“Behind the impersonation of famous people lie a psychopathological mindset of low self-esteem, lack of confidence, and failure to keep up to one’s own expectations, combined with a yearning for attention, name, and fame, even if it’s in a covert manner. The public craze to follow celebrities and lap up whatever they say, fuels the desire in such pathological mindsets to go for false fame and attention,” she explained.
FAKE ACCOUNTS USED TO DEFAME AND BULLY
Most of the time, fake accounts on social media are created not only to impersonate people but also to defame them. Accounts can be created with another username for taking revenge or using them to bully others. These accounts cannot be traced back to the person unless IP addresses are identified.
Also, controversial posts can be made from such accounts that can tarnish the name of the real person whose name it actually is. Civil service officers, especially, have to be on guard as they need to have a good reputation and seem neutral in their political views.
It’s common these days to see troll armies targetting and bullying celebrities with hate comments and derogatory remarks. Most of the time, these trolls are young people hiding behind fake profiles.
Clinical Psychologist and Former Squadron Leader in Indian Air Force, Meena Arora said that this trend of creating fake accounts is more common in teenagers as they get easily influenced by others and have less control over their emotions.
“Human nature always looks for recognition, be it fake or real,” she said while explaining this phenomenon.
Cyber experts warn that fake accounts must be reported immediately to the concerned sites so that they are taken off. The only way to curb this menace is by being extra vigilant and highly responsible cyber citizens.
