Twitter refuses to identify 'fake Glucina'

They call it blogging for those with attention-deficit disorder. But fantasists seem to have been among the first to embrace Twitter in New Zealand.

Twitter is resisting a legal challenge from the Herald on Sunday to reveal the identity of an imposter who purported to be gossip columnist Rachel Glucina.

The challenge - the first to be publicly disclosed against the US-based site - was this week followed by similar letters from representatives of Labour MPs.

In Parliament, Prime Minister John Key read out embarrassing messages purporting to be from Labour MP David Cunliffe.

Labour leader Phil Goff and MPs Clayton Cosgrove, Shane Jones and Maryan Street have also fallen victim to an imposter.

The MPs believe the culprit may be a right-wing blogger, based on "evidence around patterns of use".

Glucina, who is not a member of Twitter, became aware someone was impersonating her when a friend alerted her to the fake account on March 24.

"It was hurtful that someone could write such ugly, defamatory comments under my name," she said.

Gossip columnists are well aware of the professional perils of offending someone - but they write under their own names.

The newspaper's legal counsel, James Elliott, asked Twitter to shut down the fake account, which he described as offensive and legally actionable, and to provide details of who set it up.

Twitter has refused to identify who was behind the fake Glucina, saying it does not give out such information.

But Elliott said the website's own privacy terms allow for disclosure to respond to legal claims and processes.