Fake Twitter Accounts Spread False Claims of Lake Shore Drive Closure in Chicago

Fake Twitter accounts impersonating Chicago's mayor and city agencies falsely claimed that part of the city's DuSable Lake Shore Drive would be closed starting May 1. Twitter's removal of verification checkmarks for groups that don't pay a monthly fee allowed the fake accounts to spread misinformation. The city is aware of the fake accounts and is working with Twitter to resolve the matter. Twitter began removing blue checks from accounts that don't pay a monthly fee, including high-profile users like Beyoncé, Pope Francis, Oprah Winfrey, and former President Donald Trump.