The official Web site of Gov. Andrew Cuomo went online this weekend as he formally took power. Like the Internet homes of many politicians, the new Web site prominently featured social networking bells and whistles, including links to a Facebook page, a Flickr photo stream and a Twitter feed, @NYGovernor.
There was only one problem: @NYGovernor did not exist on Twitter. Read the full story after the jump!!
(NYTimes)–Nicholas M. Fahrenkopf, 24, a Ph.D. student in nanobioscience at the University at Albany, said he discovered the error when he clicked the link for Mr. Cuomo’s supposed Twitter account on Saturday.
“So I signed up, grabbed some images from the Web site and started following people,†Mr. Fahrenkopf wrote in an e-mail.
At first glance, the Twitter page that Mr. Fahrenkopf created seemed perfectly plausible for a politician, and featured the same snapshot of Mr. Cuomo — smiling and looking off into the distance — that can be seen on the home page of the governor’s new Web site.
And Mr. Fahrenkopf’s first few Twitter messages seemed right out of the governor’s press office, providing links to the first executive order that Mr. Cuomo signed on Saturday, the transcript of his inaugural address, and a Web page to enter the lottery to receive tickets to the State of the State address on Wednesday.
But the tone eventually got less statesmanlike, as the subjects veered toward his dislike of the Executive Mansion (not enough parking for his muscle cars), possible staff appointments (including his predecessor, David A. Paterson, to write jokes for his speeches); and plans for the next snowstorm (shoveling people out in Albany, Ã la the Twitter-friendly mayor of Newark, Cory Booker).
If that did not raise enough suspicion, there was Mr. Cuomo’s Twitter biography: “First elected governor of the State of New York since the Luv Guv.†By midday Sunday, Mr. Fahrenkopf’s account had several hundred followers — some of whom wrote to the fake Mr. Cuomo with congratulations or questions, oblivious to the ruse.
Aides to Mr. Cuomo said they had originally signed up for the @NYGovernor account but deleted it after deciding to use a different account, @NYGovCuomo. They said that the state’s Office for Technology had been asked to change the link before the Web site went online, but that Mr. Cuomo’s staff learned on Sunday morning that the change had not yet been made.
The Web site was fixed to link to the correct account within minutes, a spokesman for the governor, Josh Vlasto, said.
As of 6:30 on Sunday evening, Mr. Fahrenkopf’s account still had more followers (470) than the real one (285).
