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Hartland Administrators Get "Parody" Twitter Account Removed

The Twitter account #HartlandProblems has been suspended.

 

Around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, the account with the Twitter handle #HartlandProblems was suspended from the social media site.

Earlier on Monday afternoon, a message posted on the Hartland Consolidated Schools Facebook page informed students and parents that the administration was working on removing the fake Twitter account with the image of former high school principal Chuck Hughes.

Tweets sent out by an unknown user were considered bullying by some parents and Hughes's image was connected to the questionable messages.

The Facebook message read:

“A "parody" Twitter page has been created using former Hartland High School principal Chuck Hughes' image. We have received reports from parents that bullying is occurring on this page. Principal Mainka has contacted the Livingston County Sheriff's Department about this page and its postings. The district has repeatedly asked Twitter to deactivate this page but it is currently still active. Please note that Hartland Consolidated Schools is in no way affiliated with this page or its contents and is working to have it deactivated.”

Tweets from the account before it was suspended used pronfanity and included:

“My question to you all why does it matter who I am, most of the (...) i write is what everybody talks about behind your back or not,” and “Decided my tweets were getting a wee bit too personal, my apologies. But in the future, (...) and deal.”

Hartland High School principal Ben Mainka said that his staff became aware of the account with the Twitter handle #HartlandProblems a few days ago and was working with the authorities to remove the account but was unable to provide further details.

“We’ll be ready to share more information when it’s available and when we’re able to do so,” Mainka said.

Related Topics: Hartland High School and Twitter

Angela

11:09 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Parody is constitutionally protected, especially when used as a form of government protest. Welcome to the USSA, where insulting Herr Mainka is verbotten.

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Linda Bowen

1:35 pm on Wednesday, August 29, 2012

I don't think the content was what enabled the account to be suspended. The image of Chuck Hughes was used on that Twitter account, which was likely considered a form of impersonation under Twitter's Terms of Service and Rules. http://twitter.com/tos and http://support.twitter.com/articles/18311-the-twitter-rules

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