My phone lights up. I am on holiday with my mum, enjoying a cocktail in a gay bar in central Barcelona. Imagine my sheer panic when I see an Instagram account has been created, seeming to use my name and my pictures, offering exclusive, paid-for, adult-only content.
A good friend of mine had spotted the account and sent me a screenshot. I instantly felt sickened. This was unbelievable. How could this be happening? In this technological era, how could somebody be able to freely set up a profile posing as me without any form of verification?
Not least because of my job - a reputable journalist working for a regional newspaper. I worried about the potential repercussions of me being seen to be offering x-rated videos and pictures online to anyone who could spare a few quid.
