Imposter Suspended on X After Claiming President Connolly’s Profile

A fraudulent account impersonating President Catherine Connolly has been suspended by X (formerly Twitter) after it was taken over by an imposter. The account, which used the handle @catherinegalway, reportedly shared a video of Connolly’s Christmas address before its removal. This incident led to confusion regarding the status of the president’s genuine personal account.

According to a spokesperson for President Connolly, her original account had been deactivated by her team following the presidential election in October 2023. The spokesperson clarified that the account was no longer under Connolly’s control, stating, “Someone opened it up again, not Catherine.”

The communications team at Áras an Uachtaráin took action after noticing that the impersonating account had been reactivated and was disseminating content that falsely represented the president. The original account was deleted on the day of Connolly’s inauguration, which allowed the imposter to claim the username. Importantly, the fraudulent account was never verified by X, a fact that is crucial in identifying authentic profiles.

Official Profile Remains Active

The suspended account is separate from President Connolly’s verified presidential profile, @PresidentIRL, which continues to be active. Impersonation is a violation of X’s platform rules and typically results in account removal, highlighting the ongoing challenges of maintaining security and authenticity on social media platforms.

X has been approached for a comment regarding the suspension, but no response has been provided as of yet.

This incident underscores the importance of vigilance in social media usage, particularly for public figures. As digital platforms continue to evolve, maintaining the integrity of verified accounts becomes increasingly crucial.

In conclusion, while President Connolly’s legitimate presence on X remains intact, the quick action taken by her team has helped mitigate the risks posed by impersonation in the digital realm.