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Behind the Meme: Cam Newton has ‘ghost followers,’ and we are guilty as charged

Over two months ago, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton alerted the world to the dangers of “Ghost Followers” on Instagram – people who mention a photo in person but failed to provide the double-tap of validation first.

In Charlotte, the dedicated detective who investigates these fake-world faux-pas is a member of an elite squad known as as the Special Memes Unit.

OK, that group has one member. It’s me. I was there.

It was my first day on the job. I was sitting next to a spiky-haired pro named Joe Person – my partner on the beat and mentor.