Billie Eilish stans are calling out Twitter account @BilliesUpdatess for spreading misinformation about the singer.
Posting pictures of Billie alongside interview quotes, the profile looks like a regular fan update account upon first glance. However, @BilliesUpdatess is confusing Twitter users by creating and sharing fake updates about the singer, including Photoshopped quotes and articles.
Though likely intended to be satirical, the account has been gaining traction in recent days— leading to harmful narratives about the 19-year-old as fans misinterpret the account.
One of the account’s viral tweets exploits Billie’s recent queerbaiting controversy. Trolling Twitter users @BilliesUpdatess posted a quote from a fictional interview with the singer where Billie addresses the scandal.
“I think Queer-Baiting is a really good thing” the quote reads. “Pretending to like girls was trying to help the LGBT.”
At the time of publication, over 13,800 people have responded to the Tweet, with many believing the interview was real.
While Billie has yet to address the account, her brother Finneas took to Twitter to expose @BilliesUpdatess for spreading lies and misinformation. Across a series of Tweets, he called on fans to “report and block” the account.
“Honestly I just wish they’d label this account satire like the Onion or something,” Finneas went on to say. “I have no problem with a joke as long as people know it’s a joke”
Fake obviously. Honestly I just wish they’d label this account satire like the onion or something. I have no problem with a joke as long as people know it’s a joke https://t.co/0GaH40SblV
— FINNEAS (@finneas) July 27, 2021
Producer and songwriter Justin Raisen has also taken issue with the update account. In a now-deleted tweet, Justin demanded that @BilliesUpdatess “STOP lying.” He proceeded to threaten violence against the account’s owner by tweeting, “I’m going to come to you and smash your knees w/ my fucking bat.”
Unfortunately, addressing the account’s intentions is a double-edged sword. While Finneas and Justin want to spread the truth about Billie, mentioning the account gained @BilliesUpdatess more followers. With a bigger platform, the account only gains legitimacy.
@BilliesUpdatess has recently changed their bio to include “NOT Affiliated with anything related to Billie Eilish. Parody Account.”
But with no comedy disclaimer on every tweet, the account can still be used to mislead Twitter users and help promote a perception of Billie that is far from the truth.
While it is an unfortunate part of today’s media landscape, @BilliesUpdatess reminds us just how quickly false narratives can spread. As social media users in the age of fake news, we must remember how important it is for us to constantly interrogate information and sources presented to us online.