Chick-Fil-A claims they did not create a fake Facebook profile yesterday to attack their opponents on the social media giant. As many news outlets reported yesterday, a fake profile indeed was created on Facebook, complete with a paid-for stock profile photo, that was refuting claims the Jim Henson Company’s dropping of Chick-Fil-A came before the $4.5 billion Christian fast food retailing giant invoked a voluntary “withholding” of the Muppet-creator’s toys which were given away with kids’ meals.
“In the thread on Chick-fil-A’s Facebook page, a commenter named ‘Abby Farle,’ who had a stock photo of a teenage girl as her picture, posted a couple times in defense of the chicken chain,” Business Insider explains:
Another person called her out, saying that the account was created just eight hours ago, and accused Chick-fil-A’s PR department of creating the account. If that was really what happened, it’d be a terribly shady PR tactic.
But, as Casey Chan at Gizmodo notes, “of course, there’s a chance that this could all be a stunt to shame Chick-fil-A—or an overzealous supporter.”
Now, Chick-fil-A is denying that it had anything to do with it. Here’s the statement that Chick-fil-A spokesperson Tiffany Greenway gave us (emphasis hers):
“I can confirm that Chick-fil-A has not created a false Facebook page of any kind. Our official corporate Facebook page continues to be our only one.”
Or, Chick-Fil-A could be lying. Or, their PR company could have done it. Or, any one of a number of explanations — none of which we’ll know since the account was quickly deleted after it was discovered.
Of course, I’m sure Facebook has the fake account creator’s IP address…