Here's Why Everyone Was Tweeting "F GwenIfill" Today. It Wasn't Because They Hate Gwen Ifill.

Slate
Future Tense
Future Tense
The Citizen's Guide to the Future
Jan. 14 2014 4:18 PM

The Strange Case of the "F Gwenifill" Tweets, Solved

Gwen Ifill Twitter "hack"
Cheer up, Gwen Ifill: It was all a big mistake.

Photo by Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Among media types, Twitter was brought to a near-standstill on Tuesday afternoon as everyone tried to figure out why a number of prominent magazines had cryptically tweeted "f gwenifill" at the same time. Fair warning: If you're not interested in Twitter, PBS's Gwen Ifill, or computer security, you'll probably find this story long, confusing, and ultimately pointless. But if you are, I think you'll find it long, only somewhat confusing, and ultimately pointful.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University.

Will Oremus is Slate's senior technology writer.

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