In the run up to one of its most ambitious projects, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) in November 2014 had entered the social media space by launching its official Facebook page and Twitter account.
Its Facebook page and Twitter account soon became a hit. Cashing in on the immense popularity of Isro's Facebook page and Twitter account a number of pages in the social media were floated in the name of ISRO, Department of Space and Mangalyaan.Isro after getting to know that impersonation of the organisation was taking place had cautioned users to about those accounts and stated that they have no authenticity and that it is not responsible for any content hosted by these pages.
Further it had also said on December 16 last year that stern legal actions against these pages and its administrators will be initiated which led the closure of most accountsHowever many social media users still prefer them and continue to tweet and tag those twitter account handles while congratulating the organisation when it achieves a land mark or when it makes an announcement.
One of the twitter accounts @Mangalyaan1 continues to be mentioned in many tweets whenever there is an update on the MOM.When the MOM completed 100 days many congratulated @ Mangalyaan1 thinking it is the official twitter handle of space agency among them was the US Consulate Chennai.Similarly when Isro successfully launched the indigenous GSLV D-5 former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda congratulated @ISRO_India another forged account.
Another @ISROBhuvan though no longer in use continues to be mentioned on twitter and questions are also posed to it regularly. While one of the two Facebook pages which Isro said were forged is blocked another one gives regular updates. With about 394,468 likes this Facebook page states it unofficial.
Some of these forged pages:
Isro.org
ISRO Indian Space Research Organisation
Mangalyaan1
ISRO_India
ISROBhuvan
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