Village gossip on a global scale

Meet Kathryn Brightbill, “Policy Analyst for @ResponsibleHS, Committeeperson for @DemocratManatee”, a @UFlaw and @CovenantCollege alum who has bylines in the @LATimes and the @Religion News Service.

She got the response she wanted and quickly warmed to her theme.

““effed up”. Ah, the affected decorum of the New Puritans

Poor old Dandroid was so close to getting it. Of course it’s fake, you clowns, like every other charge against Rowling. Luckily, Rowling caught it, and she’s pissed.

J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling

.@KEBrightbill This fake tweet was created when I deleted an entirely different Tweet with a typo in it, then reposted. The creator claimed this what what I deleted. I am asking you to delete this defamatory claim and acknowledge the truth. 1/2

J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling

@dittoaway Very odd how it was only visible to those followers whose favourite hobby is misrepresenting my beliefs. Doubtless some technical glitch.

J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling

@TomasCeyssens @KEBrightbill It's endless, but I think it might be time to play a little hardball.

Jayne Egerton @JayneEEgerton

@jk_rowling @KEBrightbill One of the BBC’s disinformation specialists also identified it as false. I hope there will now be an apology & deletion!

Mrs Neverwhere 🐈 🇪🇺🇮🇹🇬🇧🇺🇦🦖🦕🤍💚💜 @MrsNeverwhere

As a graphic designer I can say this is a fake tweet, the resolution on the different parts of text is different. Cut & paste. #IStandWithJKRowling and honestly I think @jk_rowling should sue you over this. It is not acceptable to photoshop tweets to libel people. Disgusting.

Kathryn Brightbill @KEBrightbill

#ICantStandJKRowling because as much as people claim otherwise, this is a real tweet and delete from her, that was presumably intended to be tweeted on an alt. My copy of the screenshot was made by someone I know IRL who had notifications turned on and screenshotted it herself. https://t.co/dwUUFCuCzH

Here’s a Guardian journalist, Sam Thielman, spreading it. Don’t forget him, Jo!

Brightbill and Thielman are part of a movement that has nothing going for it except for this relentless ability to smear and defame others. But the thing I always find frightening is how well-connected these people are. Brightbill has a byline in Religious Times?? What’s really “effed up” is young professionals using their considerable cultural and establishment cachet to paint a target on a woman’s back.