While there is an incredible amount of reliable information to be found on Twitter, there are also some incredible falsehoods to be found. For every one hundred and forty character snippet of truth, there are an equal number of outright lies. Here are ten of the most epic lies broadcast via Twitter.
- “Win a free iPad!” – No longer content with bulk email, spammers have taken to Twitter in hordes. Easily spotted by the thousands of people they’re following compared to the two that are actually following them, these hucksters can fill a feed in no time with offers for free electronics.
- “We save people money so they can live better.” – Retail giant Wal-Mart boasts their commitment to better lives for Americans on their official Twitter profile, despite claims of poor work conditions, low wages and unethical treatment of employees for years.
- “I’m never going to drink again.” – A perennial favorite of college students, the swearing off of binge drinking is usually done on Sundays, with an “I’m so drunnnnnnnk!” tweet by Thursday.
- “I have @JustinBieber’s phone number! CALL HIM! He’s taking calls for the next hour!!!!” – Kim Kardashian has come under fire recently, but not just for her short-lived marriage. During brother Rob’s stint on Dancing With the Stars, Kim K. tweeted the 1-800 number to vote for him, claiming it was a way to reach Justin Bieber.
- “We are no longer in a recession.” – This statement or variations on it have been circulated by political pundits and financial experts alike. Despite their claims, very few Americans have felt any loosening of the economy so far.
- “Just saw our bridesmaids’ dresses! Love!” – Few things strike fear in the heart of a single girl like the phrase “bridesmaid’s dress.” Most of the women who tweet about their love for the historically awful, ill-fitting dress are lying through their teeth.
- “(Insert celebrity name here) dead!” - Celebrity death rumors are certainly nothing new, but the instantaneous sharing of information via Twitter allows them to spread like wildfire.
- The Imposter Lie – Though the verification process has weeded out a sizable portion of fraudulent profiles, there are still tons of fake celebrity feeds on Twitter. The imposter lie can be damaging to a celeb’s reputation, and is generally taken seriously by publicists.
- “I’ve been hacked!” – Public figures and Average Joes alike have been known to fall back on this flimsy excuse in order to avoid backlash for ill-advised tweets. This dishonest defense was famously used by politician Anthony Weiner in 2011.
- “Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot.” – When high school student Emma Sullivan claimed to have insulted Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, the resultant controversy caused her popularity to skyrocket. While she admitted openly to being dishonest about the confrontation and confessed that she didn’t even meet him during the speaking engagement, Brownback drew the criticism of the public. Widely considered a gross overreaction, the governor’s office demanded an apology from the student and pressured school administrators to extract it from her.
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