Swine Flu Zombies-Twitter Panic!

Graceful

あぁ、たいさ！♥
    • 2,256
    Posts
    16
    Years
    Posted On Pop Watch
    Zombie swine flu hoax story: Does Twitter have panic-creating potential?

    May 1, 2009, 09:32 AM | by Tanner Stransky
    Categories: Rumor Control, Twitter

    [PokeCommunity.com] Swine Flu Zombies-Twitter Panic!
    This hilarious but totally bogus story -- about a mutant zombie strain of the swine flu and designed to look like a legit BBC News story -- is making quite the splash on Twitter. The link to the story has been retweeted (in other words, shared on user's Twitter feeds), at last check, 720 times, according to Tweetmeme, a website designed to aggregate which links are getting the most play on Twitter at any given moment. Even more interesting is that the story -- which is undoubtedly a complete fake as it makes claims like a Netherlands boy dying and then rising from the dead and lunging at his mother, among other crazy things -- is listed on Tweetmeme's homepage with this very misleading and official-looking moniker: BBC NEWS | Europe | EU quarantines London in swine flu panic. And it's right alongside actually legit BBC News stories, like this: BBC News | Health | What scientists know about swine flu, which is also being retweeted but not nearly as much. Shouldn't someone at Tweetmeme catch the potential panic such a legit-but-bogus link could incite?
    If you look at what the Twitter community is saying when posting the fake link, it's a mixed bag. Everything from tongue-in-cheek takes -- "OMG! Swine flu virus has mutation...and it's now creating zombies!" says user redrisker -- to the dismissive: "Great example about trust and checking sources," Tweeted user MeManders.
    Another interesting dimension to this story is the URL that's used for the hoax. Just look at it: https://bouncewith.me.uk/europe/8027043.htm. Clearly, you're not being directed to the BBC News website. But it's important to remember that, on Twitter at least, a good portion of the URLs posted are turned into "short links," which save space. So users rarely look at what they're clicking on anymore -- until they get to the destination. Checking the URL, and whether it redirected to a legit website, may or may not happen.
    In this case, thankfully, most users seem to get the fact that the story is a joke, but we do seem to have the ideal forum for a potential War of the Worlds-like event. And how could this affect entertainment news? (For instance, could the Jaleel White suicide rumor from a few years back have gone nuts on Twitter? Hehe.) Does this silly little, yet entertaining, communication application have the potential to spread panic? I surely think so, especially since it's so unpoliced. But what say you, PopWatchers?
    Click to expand...

    So what do you think?????
     
    I think this is silly. Not this thread, just the... um, Tweet? It won't make headlines and it won't create a remotely serious ruckus.
     
    Too silly to make it to frontpage actually. I don't see the point of people joking themselves when there's a pandemic going on.
     
    Most people at school,whenever you sneeze they yell-"oMG! She/He's got Swine flu! Run for it!"

    It's just stupid! were in a bad situation and people just think its a complete joke!
     
    A wild fantasy that I'd wish to come true. Then this shotgun could finally be made good use.
     
    Psychometric. said:
    A wild fantasy that I'd wish to come true. Then this shotgun could finally be made good use.
    Click to expand...

    Wow, I didn't think there was anybody else who shared my dream.



    Personally I think this is hilarious, especially since some people belive it and are gunna run to the friends and go "ZOMG zombies r real doood!!!! Quick get to walmart and buy all the ammo/canned foods!" and make a moron out of himself...
     
    Well in some cases I find it racist, this swine flu just put Mexicans in the bottom of the US racist chart.

    It really sucks because of how stupid people can react. But there's always a double standard for everything. Like I heard in the news the other day that this lady was gonna sue a Mexican guy for giving her the swine flu. If anyone who has gotten the swine flu, then they got it from a Mexican. If a Mexican got the swine flu then they got it from pigs.
     
    I actually find that hilarious. XD I wonder where the image came from?

    It's sad to say this, but I can't read the post at all. There were too many links in it.
     
    El Nino said:
    Well in some cases I find it racist, this swine flu just put Mexicans in the bottom of the US racist chart.

    It really sucks because of how stupid people can react. But there's always a double standard for everything. Like I heard in the news the other day that this lady was gonna sue a Mexican guy for giving her the swine flu. If anyone who has gotten the swine flu, then they got it from a Mexican. If a Mexican got the swine flu then they got it from pigs.
    Click to expand...

    Most people get it if they go to Mexico(That destination is SO off my holiday list) and catch it,then when they come back it spreads person to person....why blame mexico? They've only got infectioned Pigs and a few people with 'Stay back we've got swine flu' on thier doors,no need to blame the country!

    [PokeCommunity.com] Swine Flu Zombies-Twitter Panic!
     
    I really can't tell if your being sarcastic or not bro. Seriously, ease up on the racism.

    Well if you care to have read up on the subject you'd find out that the pigs were from Canada, not Mexico. It spread in Mexico because they have less than reputable health care so it spread faster and it killed people. Whereas here in the US, only underprivileged people and babies died from it. You guys swear like its cancer and you can't cure it. Some people are just ignorant and like to point and blame.
     
    The only swine flu zombies I see are the mindless twits who believe the media.
     
    オレンジ said:
    Hold up. American media should meet the axe first.
    Click to expand...
    Ok Ok,America media,then canada for giving mexico pigs with the swine flu,then the bbc for making being dumb and then whoever created the website!
    EDIT:No offence canadians!
     
    Last edited:
    Well that's what the ignorant Americans get for not making themselves self aware of things and believe anything there told. Seriously, its pretty sad
     
    You must log in or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top