Impersonate a Prince on Facebook, Go to Prison For Three Years

February 25th, 2008

Impersonate a Prince on Facebook, Go to Prison For Three Years

This is some sad news from my host country:

A Moroccan computer engineer has been sentenced to three years in jail for setting up a Facebook profile in the name of a member of the royal family.

Fouad Mourtada was arrested on 5 February on suspicion of stealing the identity of Prince Moulay Rachid, younger brother of King Mohammed VI.

Yowza. That’s hardcore. It’s a tragedy that all nations can’t offer the freedoms that we enjoy in Canada.

Tags: facebook, Fouad-Mourtada, Morocco, prince, royal-family

Comments: 3 Responses so far

Raul
February 25th, 2008
10:33 am

I do dislike impersonation on Facebook. But I think this was wrongful use of force by the state. Can you imagine if every country did that? There are thousands of fake Facebook profiles for celebrities and so on. Heck, even Prince William has a fake Facebook profile!

[Reply]

gillian
February 25th, 2008
12:09 pm

Fake Steve Jobs is probably cringing a bit inside.

[Reply]

Pete Quily
February 26th, 2008
4:57 pm

3 years, wow. Canadians do take our freedoms for granted.

Here’s what happened when Daveberta registered a website for premier Ed Stelmach and redirected it to the wiki page of ex Alberta premier Harry Strom.

Strom was the last Social Credit premier of Alberta before they got wiped out by the progressive conservatives.

http://www.edstelmach.ca

http://daveberta.blogspot.com/2008/01/edstelmachca-governing-myself.html

At least they didn’t jail him for it.

[Reply]