FINANCE minister Simon Hamilton yesterday appeared to "inadvertently" follow a pornography account on Twitter.
The leading DUP assembly member's account on the social media site followed a profile that shares explicit images and videos.
However, the pornographic Twitter account called 'Orgasm Gifs' was quickly unfollowed by the Strangford MLA.
Social media users were alerted to Mr Hamilton's account following the explicit profile due to the 'activity' section of Twitter's mobile phone app.
The service gives Twitter users rolling updates of messages people they follow and other activity related to the account.
The DUP last night said it appeared the pornographic account had been followed "inadvertently".
A spokesman confirmed that no-one other than Mr Hamilton has access to his Twitter account. "It appears that this account was inadvertently followed for a very brief period of time. As soon as this became apparent he unfollowed the account," he said. "From any cursory glance it is clear this account is somewhat out of step with all of the other accounts he follows on Twitter."
It is not the first time Twitter has caused embarrassment for politicians.
In November last year British Prime Minister David Cameron appeared to accidentally follow a high-class escort agency on Twitter.
Carltons of London was described as offering the "finest London escorts to gentlemen of distinction". Number 10 said the account had been followed unintentionally due to an automated system they had in place in 2009.
In another embarrassing social media incident last year Mr Cameron's Twitter account accidentally "favourited" an offensive tweet about then foreign secretary William Hague.
At the time it was blamed on a mistake made by one of Mr Cameron's aides responsible for helping to run the social networking account.
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Finance minister Simon Hamilton 'inadvertently' followed a pornography account on Twitter