# Is it illegal to make a fake facebook profile if you don't impersonate anyone?



## Lenfer cest les autres (Jul 21, 2010)

I was on a different forum, and there was a user who trolled everyone. He'd been repeatedly reported but they never deleted him. Every time I made a post he would pick up some small irrelevant grammatical error, and personally attack me calling me "stupid." He did this to everyone in just about every thing anyone posted. I liked the site and he was ruining it for everyone. 

Anyway I got so frustrated I did something a little impulsive without really thinking. I looked at his profile and he had put all his facebook info right on his page. Without really thinking it through I made a fake facebook profile and told him off. I used the name of a famous dead rock star, and used a picture of a snake. I obviously wasn't impersonating anyone. I wasn't abusive either, I just told him to stop and leave us alone. I didn't want him or anyone else on the site to know my real identity. Then I blocked him so he couldn't respond. I know he saw it because he blocked my fake account and stopped posting on the forum. 

I know I should have thought this through and it was a stupid thing to do. I was just really frustrated, and really annoyed because he was bothering everyone and this has been going on non stop for a couple weeks. 

Do you think I'll get in trouble for this? Will they just delete the account or could more happen? Was this illegal?


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## Crimson Lotus (Jul 26, 2013)

There's about 0 chance you could get in any trouble for it. It's a Facebook account...

Also, as they always say, don't feed the trolls... That guy probably gets off on managing to get people mad at him.


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## Lenfer cest les autres (Jul 21, 2010)

Yeah, I normally refrain from that, but I think it might have actually worked this time. He stopped posting the second he received my message. I actually tracked him down through his flickr account. When I looked at his profile he was an older guy and maybe not very tech savvy. I think he was genuinely shocked that someone could find his real identity through the account. He thought he was anonymous and freaked out I guess. I guess I got lucky this time. But yeah, I should know better. I was just really pissed off.


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## Lenfer cest les autres (Jul 21, 2010)

DerSteppenwolf said:


> There's about 0 chance you could get in any trouble for it. It's a Facebook account...
> 
> Also, as they always say, don't feed the trolls... That guy probably gets off on managing to get people mad at him.


Yeah, I normally refrain from that, but I think it might have actually worked this time. He stopped posting the second he received my message. I actually tracked him down through his flickr account. When I looked at his profile he was an older guy and maybe not very tech savvy. I think he was genuinely shocked that someone could find his real identity through the account. He thought he was anonymous and freaked out I guess. I guess I got lucky this time. But yeah, I should know better. I was just really pissed off.


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## sad vlad (Nov 9, 2013)

I had a fake Facebook account. Cause I needed an account to have free access on another site. I had no problems.


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## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

You're not going to get in any trouble for creating an obviously fake account of a dead celebrity.

For impersonation accounts in general, it probably depends on what you do with it. If it's bad enough that it creates a problem for the person you're impersonating, it could lead to issues, but I'm guessing the law usually has more important things to do with their time.

If Facebook catches you, the account would be deleted and repeat offenses could lead to an IP ban, but otherwise, eh.

Moral of the story: If you're gonna go 'dedicated troll' on a forum, don't leave any traces of your true identity~


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

I don't know, but I have one and so do quite a few people I know/have known. I know a guy who made one for professor Oak from Pokemon, I have one for a hat I used to own, and someone else I noticed made one for a pair of shoes.


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## Gas Raid (Feb 19, 2014)

All they can do is suspend your account, even if you call yourself Justin Bieber. They don't waste time on every little fake profile, you have to be doing something illegal (or severe bullying) to actually get into trouble over facebook.


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

What do you think Zuckerburg himself is going to come to your house an arrest you? All that's going to happen is getting banned from facebook. 


Perhaps it would surprise you to know that my name isn't actually arnie! :eek


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

Yes, if you're not doing anything illegal, you won't have anything to worry about.


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