UK blogger Hayley Stevens goes viral after being mistaken for Michigan's Haley Stevens
A Wiltshire forensic-psychology student wakes up to thousands of new followers meant for the Michigan congresswoman and declines to endorse Mike Rogers.
What to know
- A UK forensic-psychology student named Hayley Stevens was mistakenly flooded with followers meant for Haley Stevens, a Michigan politician.
- Her clarifying post, including a refusal to endorse Michigan political figure Mike Rogers, went viral with over 9,500 likes and 260+ comments.
- The comment thread turned into a mix of jokes about mistaken online identity and genuine engagement with her actual field, forensic psychology.
Commenters say they're following Stevens for who she actually is, not the political mix-up.
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“Just followed you bc of who you actually are not for who people are confusing you with. You sound cool.”
introvertebrae.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The mix-up is treated as a shared, almost comic affliction akin to other mistaken-identity cases online.
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“Need to form a support group with @mattgertz.bsky.social”
tomscud.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Commenters jokingly goad Stevens into playing along with a fake political endorsement.
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“Just for the craic, could you do a surprise endorsement of Mike Rogers tomorrow?”
freewheeling.info · Bluesky ↗
Some users use the moment to ask Stevens genuine questions about her forensic psychology expertise.
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“What is something that people unfamiliar with forensic psychology frequently get wrong about forensic psychology? Other than the need for sarcasm.”
scenarist.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Hayley Stevens UK blogger and MSc Forensic Psychology student
Haley Stevens Michigan politician (apparent Senate candidate, referenced not quoted)Mike Rogers Michigan Republican political figureMatt Gertz Referenced comparator account
How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump postscomments
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5
Others share their own mistaken-identity stories
The thread spawns copycat jokes, including a user claiming to be 'the Chris Packham of Brooklyn' rather than the BBC naturalist, extending the mistaken-identity bit.
“Hello, I'm not the Chris Packham of the BBC's Springwatch, I'm the Chris Packham of Brooklyn, New York…”
— bleedbuild.bsky.social -
H
I have now, and I think I got the better end of the deal tbh
2 more of the top 3 · 109 posts in this stretch
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H
Oh no oh no why didnt ur parents see into the future
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You are currently atop the leaderboard in the Best Hayley Stevens Among Those I Know About tournament, and it's a long, long way down to the one in second place.
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4
Followers ask Stevens about her actual forensic psychology work
Amid the jokes, several commenters pivot to asking Stevens genuine questions about misconceptions in forensic psychology and criminal profiling, and she answers in detail.
“I'd say that people have a misconception about criminal profiling, and also that it's possible to tell people are lying from their body language.”
— Hayley Stevens -
Well I guess we have the other Haley Stevens to thank for helping us find the cool Hayley Stevens – definitely following
2 more of the top 3 · 37 posts in this stretch
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I'd say that people have a misconception about criminal profiling, and also that it's possible to tell people are lying from their body language. Oh, and if you're being interrogated as a suspect you really do need to lawyer up and answer no questions. Especially if you're innocent.
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they've been weirdly polite when they realised I'm some random British person tbh
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Thread likens confusion to 'Matt Gertz syndrome'
Replying users draw comparisons to other cases of mistaken online identity, jokingly proposing a support group and naming the phenomenon after a similarly mixed-up account.
“Need to form a support group with @mattgertz.bsky.social…”
— tomscud.bsky.social -
Need to form a support group with @mattgertz.bsky.social
2 more of the top 3 · 10 posts in this stretch
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That’s exactly what the really Haley S. would say to throw us off the scent. I’m following to see how this plays out.
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This is why the Oxford Comma is a helpful linguistic device! See how it separates the being sarcastic and the not endorsing parts of the sentence?
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2
Commenters pile on, pledging to follow the 'real' Hayley Stevens
Users respond en masse, saying they are following her for who she actually is rather than the mistaken identity, and joking about an ongoing 'tournament' between namesakes.
“Just followed you bc of who you actually are not for who people are confusing you with. You sound cool.”
— introvertebrae.bsky.social -
Just followed you bc of who you actually are not for who people are confusing you with. You sound cool.
2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
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Are you being sarcastic when you say you don't endorse Mike Rogers?
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lolwut. There's more than one person in the world named 'Hayley Stevens'? Yeah, sure. Sounds like fake news to me. Also, just to let you know, you said "England" when you obviously meant "New England". ( /s, for those who struggle to notice satire. )
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1
Hayley Stevens clarifies she is not the Michigan politician
UK-based Hayley Stevens posts on Bluesky explaining she woke up to a wave of new followers who mistook her for Haley Stevens of Michigan, describing herself and stating she does not endorse Mike Rogers.
“I'm not the Haley Stevens of Michigan. I'm the Hayley Stevens from Wiltshire, England... I do not endorse Mike Rogers ✌️…”
— Hayley Stevens -
Hi! Woke up to lots of new followers. I'm not the Haley Stevens of Michigan. I'm the Hayley Stevens from Wiltshire, England. Until recently I wrote a science blog about spooky stuff, now I'm studying for my MSc in Forensic Psychology. I'm deeply autistic, sarcastic, and do not endorse Mike Rogers ✌️
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What people are saying 12 voices from 1 site · best of 160 · verbatim
- What is something that people unfamiliar with forensic psychology frequently get wrong about forensic psychology?
- Nov 2
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i know, looking forward to checking out that blog actually
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I'm going to follow you because you're not that Hayley Stevens, I love science and spooky things, am fascinated with forensic psychology, love sarcasm and also happen to love a couple autistic people. I do not endorse Mike Rogers either, for what it's worth. It's like fate brought us together. 🤷♀️
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Okay, but let’s hear your terrible Midwestern American accent so we can tell for sure.
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I’m so sorry you are suffering from Matt Gertz syndrome on here. All the best on your MSc
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What is something that people unfamiliar with forensic psychology frequently get wrong about forensic psychology? Other than the need for sarcasm.
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Thank you for not endorsing Rogers, and I hope you haven't been harassed by anybody rude.
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I was really confused by Bluesky yesterday. I was like, “why is everyone mad at the science blogger?”
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Following a fellow forensic psych researcher...good luck though with the bizarre political follows over the next couple of days.
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I've followed you today because of who you are and not who they think you are 🤭
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This was reposted into my timeline and you sound much more interesting than the other Hayley Stevens 😊
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Im pretty sure you're not going to suddenly endorse Farage.
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Just for the craic, could you do a surprise endorsement of Mike Rogers tomorrow?