Many hoaxes online are simply pranks – usually not much material harm is done. There is also a degree of comedy involved, especially when celebrities and politicians become victims. When a hoax claiming that Facebook would be changing its terms of service went viral, high profile names like Usher, Julia Roberts and Rick Perry became […]
Read more "Internet Hoaxes – Funny or Dangerous?"Internet hoaxes are a fascinating phenomenon. Many have circulated throughout my time on the internet and I don’t foresee an end to these viral bouts of misinformation. While some hoaxes are quite trivial, we should still ponder the impact they have on society and why people create them in the first place. Like any form […]
Read more "What’s The Deal With Viral Hoaxes?"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 […]
Read more "Is the Response Worth an Internet Hoax?"That stupid Internet hoax from 2012 is back. Except now on Instagram. And every comment about posting it is “better safe than sorry“. 🤷🏽♂️ This is the same logic as walking around with garlic around your neck just in case you get attacked by a vampire. It’s ridiculous. 🤦🏽♂️ — John Pesina (@johnpesina) August 21, […]
Read more "NHsmc Blog Post 1: The Impact of Internet Hoaxes"To ask why there are such things as internet hoaxes is an interesting question that probably has no definite answer. There will not always be accuracy and truth by having something as powerful as the internet at the tip of our fingers, especially when we’re allowed access to social sites such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, […]
Read more "Internet Hoax Rachel Serata"It doesn’t take an Internet expert to hack a viral hoax. To uncover hoaxers’ motives social users should look at the power of celebrity reactions. Internet users create hoaxes to spark reactions from influential users and disrupt the digital community. The Instagram Hoax accomplished both tasks when celebrities reposted the information and spread the message […]
Read more "hacking the internet hoax"There are a wide variety of reasons why people create internet hoaxes. Human nature is inherently gullible and we are so keen to believing internet hoaxes. So, it is not uncommon for people to want to create internet hoaxes. Some do it for monetary gain, some do it for pleasure and a good laugh, and […]
Read more "Internet Hoaxes: Will They Ever Stop?"In 2010, an altered photo posted on the message board 4chan, claimed that McDonald’s was adding a surcharge of $1.50 to the fast food orders of African Americans. The photo explained that McDonald’s reason for this surcharge was due to a recent string of robberies. Unsurprisingly, the image was quickly picked up by twitter users […]
Read more "Do You Want A Big Mac? … For $1.50 More?"Hoaxes have been around long before modern day social media. Individuals used to send scam or chain emails to one another that promoted taking some action that would save them from a seemingly existent threat. Even text message hoaxes existed before smartphones, but they were often more easily identifiable, as they would threaten a monster […]
Read more "The Internet’s Latest Hack"The majority of viral online hoaxes are pretty foolish. I believe most of them simply stem from a desire for excitement, many people are merely bored and enjoy stirring up drama. But could some of these hoaxes actually mean something more? Hoaxes can be traced back hundreds of years ago. The Dreadnought hoax executed by […]
Read more "Hoaxes: Sometimes frivolous, sometimes not"