I got mad about a 'news' story that turned out to be a joke tweet from 2018.

I spent a good 20 minutes yesterday morning getting worked up over a headline about a new city law, only to find out (after I'd already typed a rant) that the whole thing started from some guy's sarcastic post four years ago that got passed around as real.

3 comments

3 Comments

lewis.brian1d ago

The internet's ability to keep old jokes alive as "news" is genuinely impressive. You just did a deep dive on a law that was never even a bill. At least your rant is now a time capsule for 2018's brand of nonsense.

thomas8151d ago

Used to fact-check everything, now I just assume it's fake.

charles7201d ago

Yeah, and like lewis.brian said, it's a time capsule. But it makes me wonder, what's the oldest joke you've seen get passed around as a real news story lately? I saw one from like 2012 about a "tax on breathing" that still pops up.