Is the Response Worth an Internet Hoax?

Posted on by Chandler Burke

When looking at the big picture of internet hoaxes, they begin as a hoax, or a lie, that is released. This message then sometimes spreads, and depending on the reaction, the misinformation can become widespread. Releasing misinformation can be done to invoke a response. With this thought, the reasoning for creating internet hoaxes may be done with good intentions—as the person creating these hoaxes might believe the response could be beneficial.

When a hoax spread this year saying that Instagram would potentially disperse users information unless users shared a specific post on their Instagram accounts, this hoax could have been created to receive a response from Instagram stating they will not share users information. This offers clarity on a question the creator of the hoax may have wanted answered.

Whitney Phillips, an assistant professor in the Communication Department at Syracuse University states “[m]edia literacy discussions within journalism and academia tend to presume good faith in these kinds of cases, and proceed from there.” When spreading a message, people may not know whether it is factual or not, but will spread it because the content aligns with what they believe in. This shows the users followers that they will advocate for what they believe in—allowing us to see that hoaxes may be both created and spread with good intentions.

When determining whether internet hoaxes are harmless, harmful, or helpful, it depends on how you view the situation. Internet hoaxes might welcome unnecessary worries, but at the same time, often welcome a response from the target of the hoax. While looking at the Instagram hoax situation once again, the hoax spread quickly throughout Instagram users to the point where Instagram offered a response that provided answers—answers that the creator of the hoax may have anticipated from the beginning.

https://www.cjr.org/the_new_gatekeepers/disinformation-whitney-phillips.php

 

 

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