I’ve reported about social media security issues several times this week. Let’s look at some major media hoaxes since 2010:
10. 83 and Tired: Bill Cosby allegedly posted a Facebook rant claiming he was 83 and tired of the nation’s problems. Not only did Dr. Cosby not write it, they didn’t even get his age right (he’s really 76). He went on national TV to clear his name.
9. Bald For Bieber: When a false report leaked that heartthrob Justin Bieber was diagnosed with cancer, a tweet?urging his?fans to go bald launched. Sadly, some did.
8. Facebook’s Gold Package: A couple of years ago, Facebook was to start charging $9.99 a month for Gold membership. Guess what? Facebook is still free, and that gold package was a golden egg.
7. Back to the Future:?So far this decade, Back to?the Future Day was in 2010, then in 2012. Both are wrong. According to Back to?the Future?II, the travel date was?October 21, 2015. Sorry Doc and Marty fans, you have to wait another?two 1/2 years.
6. Fake Celebrity Deaths:?What do Jackie Chan, Taylor Swift, Morgan Freeman and Eddie Murphy have in common? According to false Facebook posts, they all died this decade! So the next time you hear a celeb passing away, check a more trusted source!
5. Mante T’eo Girlfriend: He went from a promising Notre Dame Linebacker to America’s joke. This bizarre hoax involving a fake girlfriend even landed him on Dr. Phil.?Was he that na?ve or was he?even playing?along with the hoax?
4. Facebook?Shutting Down: An Internet rumor went around saying Facebook was going to shut down because founder Mark Zuckerburg wanted normalcy. You know they stopped that rumor real quick!
3. Hurricane Sandy Photos: Some of these look like?the Day After Tomorrow movie. They?even had sharks swimming in malls. Many of these pictures look more like Revelation’s apocalypse than a super storm. I’m sure if they would’ve stuck with real pictures of this?natural disaster, the meaning would’ve been even more powerful.
2. You Tube Shuts Down: According to the April Fools?joke in 2013, You Tube?was just a big video competition that was going to end on April 1. Good one!
1. Twitter Hoax Nearly Shuts Down Wall St.: To this point, these hoaxes have been cute, funny, and generally harmless. This was?everything but a laughing matter.?This hoax lied about President Obama’s security, sent stocks crashing, and in the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedy, could have sent America into chaos. I shutter?to think?what would have happened if?this social?media hoax continued.
Can you think of any social media hoaxes, since 2010, that top these?