Jackson Video a Hoax Experiment

A short video that appeared on youtube a week ago showed someone resembling Michael Jackson getting out of the back of a coroner's van. Evidence perhaps that Jackson faked his death? Nope. German television station RTL subsequently admitted they faked the video as an experiment "to show how easily users can be manipulated on the Internet with hoax videos." An RTL spokesman said: "Unfortunately, many people believed it was true, even though we tried to create the video in a way that every normal user can see right away that it is a fake."

Hoaxes designed to demonstrate the gullibility of the public are an old phenomenon, going back at least to HL Mencken's 1917 bathtub hoax. The public invariably lives up to expectations.

Celebrities Death Videos

Posted on Wed Sep 02, 2009


Comments

Seems to me they were trying to drive up hits on the website... The statement "Even though we tried to create the video in a way that every normal user can see right away that it is a fake." sounds bogus. They are a news site, and now they are trying to create the news (not a new or unheard of idea)...
Posted by Captain Stealth  on  Wed Sep 02, 2009  at  09:24 AM
Of course that was Jackson emerging from the van. Didn't you notice Elvis helping him along to the door?
Posted by KDP  on  Thu Sep 03, 2009  at  09:14 AM
You need to get your eyes checked, KDP. That was Jim Morrison helping him out, not Elvis. Morrison was an Elvis impersonator.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Thu Sep 03, 2009  at  02:21 PM
Can't something be done about these spammers? What good are those little "type in the letters and number" things if they don't prevent spamming?
Posted by Sakano  on  Thu Sep 03, 2009  at  03:49 PM
I don't think so..may be there is some misunderstanding to recognised that person.That may be a type of spam to move others.
Posted by Amelia marwah  on  Sat Sep 05, 2009  at  06:13 AM
Pimpin aint dead these hoax scared an ya billy jean got me paying child support about 007 a month an they you an me havent caught us yet people want to be left alone with a king that still moon walk these G's are us an we'll never known who i am motivation iz tha reason i believe consumers make these remarks I asked who if Michael Jackson was resting in piece he say from tha way he was looking I AM an let me tell ya its hard trying to get interviews wit ghost busters or flirting with dimes or try losing ya job working at trade center
Posted by Bossface  on  Thu Sep 24, 2009  at  09:31 PM
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