By Ricardo Lezama 
Social Media Accusations Allege Right-Wing Personality Manipulated Ethnicity and Gender Profile Online
A controversial incident unfolded recently involving MAGA influencer Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS), who has been alleged to have utilized fake social media accounts to manipulate perceptions around specific voting patterns.
Betraying His Perception Of What Black Voters Sound Like
Responding to now-deleted posts on Twitter, online users have pointed out what they believe to be deception on the part of Mannarino. He is accused of impersonating a Black woman who outwardly refused to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. For many, this act is seen as a blatant attempts to muddy the perceptions of public voting sentiments, specifically within marginalized racial groups.
Amidst the allegations, Mannarino continued to conduct his daily online engagements as if unaffected by the issue, said one Twitter user. Additionally, another user pin-pointed the recurrence of such a strategy in the MAGA circles, viewing it as a habitual resurfacing of fabricated narratives.
The controversy around Mannarino’s alleged misrepresentation is seen by some as a reflection of broader political and social manipulation often associated with the MAGA movement. Furthermore, some social media users emphasized the racial implications, accusing Mannarino of “bait n switching” their ethnicity to further a partisan perspective. They termed this as a “lying dishonest cheating agenda” aimed at controlling and swaying the narrative to further political ends.
One particular user contrived a theory of reverse impersonation, suggesting the MAGA influencer could possibly be a Black woman assuming the guise of a stereotypical MAGA follower, effectively questioning the authenticity of online personas.
Regardless of the divided public opinion, the allegations against Mannarino serve as a stark reminder of the susceptibility of social media spaces to manipulation, particularly in a politically charged climate. The incident also shines a light on deeper issues revolving around racial identity, gender, and how these aspects can become ploys in a larger political game. While the veracity of these allegations remains to be seen, the conversations they have sparked underline the urgent need to promote and maintain authenticity on digital platforms.