Let’s Meet Up With Momo at Area 51: How Internet Hoaxes are Given Life

Posted on by Ilana Shire

Some pieces of content that go viral can be very funny and harmless, like a dance challenge or a meme. Others can be more dangerous and intend to manipulate people’s beliefs and ideas. Enter; the internet hoax. Despite whether the hoax ends up being funny or not, the intent to deceive is still present, which can make hoaxes harmful. According to a Wired article, internet hoaxes work not because people are stupid, but because of the way that they arrive at conclusions about information based on whether it fits with their existing worldview. In an age rife with fake news and misinformation, internet users are primed to accept wrong information that contains even the smallest kernel of truth. Celebrities who play into hoaxes make them even more dangerously effective due to the high level of trust we have in them.

But why are hoaxes created in the first place? Unlike a scammer who stands to benefit from tricking people into paying money or giving personal information, hoax-makers have less transparent motives. Some possible reasons that hoaxes get created are a misinterpretation of a news item, or a practical joke intended for a few friends. For example, the dreaded Momo challenge that has plagued the internet since 2018 was likely created on a Reddit thread after someone posted a picture of the terrifying “Momo” statue. From there, people ran with it. Although there was no evidence that anyone committed suicide as a direct result of the challenge, it reinforced parents’ fears about their kids being exposed to dangerous content on social media. Internet hoaxes are not necessarily physically harmful, but the incredible power they have to negatively influence the public sphere of information sharing is worth watching out for.

Sources: https://www.hoax-slayer.net/discussion-why-do-people-create-email-hoaxes/

https://www.wired.com/story/why-people-keep-falling-viral-hoaxes/

https://www.vox.com/2019/3/3/18248783/momo-challenge-hoax-explained

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