Instagram has deleted a fraudulent account that was impersonating Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook.
This counterfeit account, identified by the tech outlet 9to5Mac, managed to accumulate followers, including Apple’s Vice Presidents such as Lisa Jackson, who oversees Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, and Alan Dye, responsible for Human Interface Design.
The Instagram account had operated under the username “tim.d.cook.” However, it is important to highlight that Tim Cook has exclusively been using Twitter (now known as X) as his social media platform since 2013.
Apple maintains an official presence across various social media platforms. Remarkably, many senior Apple executives are active on diverse platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Nevertheless, Tim Cook’s primary engagement has consistently been on X.
The imposter Tim Cook account had even shared a few photographs. The inaugural post was on 20 August, commemorating World Photography Day, featuring two images taken with an iPhone.
On 23 August, the account uploaded a 30-second advertisement for a campaign in collaboration with 3DPets. Both posts were copied directly from Cook’s verified X page and highlighted the photographic capabilities and LiDAR functionality of the iPhone 14 Pro.
While Tim Cook maintains a relatively active presence on X, he has expressed concerns about the design of the platform.
During a conversation with CNBC in 2021, Cook expressed that the act of “mindless scrolling” on social media negatively impacts mental health. He stressed that such behavior is detrimental to individuals’ well-being and that of those around them.
Cook has also been vocal in criticizing Meta (formerly known as Facebook) for its privacy practices. Apple introduced an anti-tracking feature as part of iOS 14.5 in 2021.
This feature faced criticism from Meta, as it had the potential to impact ad revenue. Interestingly, Cook also refrains from using Threads, Meta’s newly launched competitor to Twitter.
