Murdoch Twittergate: A Theory

How did a fake twitter account get verified for Wendi Deng? And why is Rupert Murdoch's account so sketchy? A speculative theory.

Step One: The Kid

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Jack Dorsey, @jack, one of the cofounders of twitter...

Step Two: The Power

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corners Rupert and Wendi at a holiday party...

Step Three: The Ask

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and asks them to join his social network, lending it some establishment cred.

Step Four: "Get Me The Hell Out Of Here"

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Out of politeness or a desire to extricate themselves, they say yes... and actually do nothing.

Step Five: Hubris

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Jack is (understandably) excited to have scored a coup. He blabs about it all over town.

Step Six: The Opportunistic Clowns

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Jack's news finds its way to some merry pranksters.

Step Seven: The Account

Via Twitter: @https://twitter.com/!/rupertmurdoch

They create an account, and follow Jack.

Step Eight: Don't Count Your Chickens Until You Know That They're Actually Chickens And Not Some Other Animals Pretending To Be Chickens

Via Twitter: @https://twitter.com/!/jack

Jack falls for it, and insists within Twitter that the account be verified.

Step Nine: The Wife

Via Twitter: @https://twitter.com/!/wendi_deng

Then the pranksters (or others like them) do it again with Wendi. Jack gets her verified too.

Step Ten: A Retweet Too Far

Via Twitter: @https://twitter.com/!/michaelwolffnyc

But reporters know Wendi better than Rupert, so this happens.

Step Eleven: The Confession

Via Twitter: @https://twitter.com/!/wendi_deng

And then this happens.

Step Twelve: "We Can Confirm..."

Via Twitter: @https://twitter.com/!/twittercomms

Twitter acknowledges its mistake.

Step Thirteen: Slink Away

Via Twitter: @https://twitter.com/!/rupertmurdoch

Meanwhile, the Rupert feed kind of peters out too. . .

Step Fourteen: And They're Gone...

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as the pranksters beat a hasty retreat.