Police responded to an active shooter at YouTube headquarters in San Bruno,elderly sister is eroticism komi editor California on Tuesday that left three people injured and one dead. But before police could even get a grasp on the situation, Twitter erupted with lies and misinformation.
While many people on Twitter grabbed their "fake news" pitchforks, this situation felt different than the misinformation spread in the past, especially during the election. This wasn't some politically-driven website promoting lies; this was straight up trolling in the most classic sense of the word.
SEE ALSO: 3 injured and 1 dead after shooting at YouTube HQWhile the definition of trolling has broadened in recent years, its original use on the internet stemmed from fishing. Cast out a line, or a lie, and see who bites. Deceit is key here.
BuzzFeed reporter Jane Lytvynenko started a hugely important thread on Twitter, collecting dozens of examples of hoaxes and misinformation. And then became a victim of trolling herself, with an internet bully tweeting a picture of her and falsely labeling her the shooter.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Almost immediately, a popular hoax involving comedian Sam Hyde, whose photo has been falsely connected numerous times to shootings, spread. Trolls once again said Hyde, who the New York Timesdubbed an "absurdist comedian," was the shooter. This happens so often, it's even noted in a Know Your Meme submission about Hyde.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Before any information about the shooter was released, one Twitter account which has since been suspended, falsely claimed the shooter was Anita Sarkeesian, a GamerGate victim.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Some claimed the Associated Press and CNN were confirming the shooter was Emily Youcis, aka “Pistachio Girl," who was fired from her job at Aramark in 2016 after she was milkshake-ducked. Neither the AP, police, or CNN confirmed the identity of the shooter at the time of this tweet.
Popular YouTubers also became a plaything for trolls spreading false information. Many shared images of YouTubers and identified them as the shooter.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
And in what may be one of the worst offenses, someone managed to gain access to YouTube staffer Vadim Lavrusik's verified Twitter account. Lavrusik was one of the first people to tweet about the incident, so seeing a tweet from him which read "PLEASE HELP ME FIND MY FRIEND I LOST HIM IN THE SHOOTING," was alarming until it was clear his account had been hacked.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
The photo attached to that tweet asking for help, which has since been deleted, was of YouTuber Daniel Keem, who hosts the show DramaAlert. This was also a troll, clearly.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey replied that they were "on it" when someone flagged the account had been hacked.
He also noted that Twitter is "taking action" amid the fast-spreading lies.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
It should be noted that although Twitter was an absolute hot mess during the shooting, many of the fake troll tweets were removed and the accounts that posted them were suspended within minutes. Regardless, Twitter is a massive platform that is impossible to police. It did feel like this shooting received more trolling than other prior shootings, possibly because it occurred at YouTube, a platform whose users are notoriously trolly. It's also possible that the conversation around gun violence has been heightened on Twitter since Parkland, and we've all become attuned to fake news post-election.
While there will inevitably be fake news stories related to this very real shooting tomorrow, much of what occurred immediately after news broke of the shooting was just internet trolling at its worst.
(Editor: {typename type="name"/})
11 Tech Products That Were Supposed to Fail... But Didn't
Ron Howard comments on Star Wars: "Beyond grateful" to direct Han Solo
A new hotline in Kenya helps protect women and girls from violence
Celebrities pay $40k for a star on the Walk of Fame, it's not a surprise
Use Gmail Filters to Automate your Inbox
Why Tumblr's new 'safe mode' is a bigger deal than you think
IKEA apparently sells a serving bowl of death that can set stuff on fire
IKEA apparently sells a serving bowl of death that can set stuff on fire
Best iPad deal: Save $70 on 10th Gen Apple iPad
Microsoft's new Windows Whiteboard app has reportedly leaked
Brest vs. PSG 2025 livestream: Watch Champions League for free
Plastic pollution in the ocean is officially everywhere
接受PR>=1、BR>=1,流量相当,内容相关类链接。