re: 76ers GM Bryan Colangelo caught using multiple twitter accounts to criticize players/staff

quote:

---

In this case, the employer is considered a covered entity.

---

quote:

---

Regardless of the actual HIPPA law, that’s a huge misstep over the line.

---

quote:

---

Our source, whose identity is still unknown, contacted me via anonymous “egg” accounts on both Instagram and Twitter, claiming that they had a scoop. The source explained that they worked in artificial intelligence and, after noticing a “bunch of weird tweets” directed at Sixers writers, used an open-source data analysis tool to link five accounts through commonalities including similarities in who the accounts followed and linguistic quirks.

“They all have a pattern of likes, follows, and tweets which are EXTRAORDINARILY similar,” the source wrote in a direct message on Twitter. For example, the source explained, all five follow accounts tied to Sixers players, members of the Philly front office, and beat reporters who cover the team; Toronto Raptors writers; Canadian high school basketball; and University of Chicago basketball. They discuss the same topics, use strikingly similar phrasing, and, at times, have tweeted out identical media images. Some of those shared attributes were odd, such as a distaste for beards and “unknown sources.” According to the source’s findings, the three newest accounts followed 75 accounts in common—roughly half of their total respective follows—with another 52 accounts followed by two of the three. (The Ringer was unable to verify those numbers, but they seem to track with our analysis.)

---

quote:

---

In this case, the employer is considered a covered entity.

---

quote:

---

Unless they can determine that the tweets were sent from the same computer or IP address, there isn’t much they can do unless Colangelo admits to it.

---

quote:

---

He’s already guilty in the court of public opinion.

---