Subject: Warning! Warning! Watch OUT!
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WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE!
Gullibility Virus Spreading over the Internet!
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WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular Internet
Phenomena announced
today that many Internet users are becoming infected by a new virus that causes
them to believe
without question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning that shows up
in their inbox or on
their browser. The Gullibility Virus, as it is called, apparently makes people
believe and forward copies
of silly hoaxes relating to cookie recipes, email viruses, taxes on modems, and
get-rich-quick schemes.
"These are not just readers of tabloids or people who buy lottery tickets based
on fortune cookie
numbers," a spokesman said. "Most are otherwise normal people, who would laugh
at the same stories
if told to them by a stranger on a street corner." However, once these same
people become infected with
the Gullibility Virus, they believe anything they read on the Internet.
"My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone," reported one
weeping victim. "I believe every
warning message and sick child story my friends forward to me, even though most
of the messages
are anonymous."
Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about Good Times,
I just accepted it without
question. After all, there were dozens of other recipients on the mail header,
so I thought the virus must
be true." It was a long time, the victim said, before she could stand up at a
Hoaxees Anonymous meeting
and state, "My name is Jane, and I've been hoaxed." Now, however, she is
spreading the word. "Challenge
nd check whatever you read," she says.
Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptoms of the virus, which
include the following:
The willingness to believe improbable stories without thinking. The urge to
forward multiple copies of such
stories to others. A lack of desire to take three minutes to check to see if a
story is true.
T. C. is an example of someone recently infected. He told one reporter, "I read
on the Net that the major
ingredient in almost all shampoos makes your hair fall out, so I've stopped
using shampoo." When told
about the Gullibility Virus, T. C. said he would stop reading email, so that he
would not become infected.
Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately. Experts
recommend that at the first
feelings of gullibility, Internet users rush to their favorite search engine
and look up the item tempting them
to thoughtless credence. Most hoaxes, legends, and tall tales have been widely
discussed and exposed
y the Internet community.
Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, and there is online
help from many sources, including
Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability at
http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html
Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html
McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at
http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html
Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at
http://www.drsolomons.com/vircen/hoax.html
The Urban Legends Web Site at
http://www.urbanlegends.com
Urban Legends Reference Pages at
http://www.snopes.com
Datafellows Hoax Warnings at
http://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm
Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate themselves against
the Gullibility Virus by
reading some good material on evaluating sources, such as
Evaluating Internet Research Sources at
http://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm
Evaluation of Information Sources at
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm
Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at
http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM
Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the Gullibility
Virus by sending copies of
this message to anyone who forwards them a hoax.
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This message is so important, we're sending it anonymously! Forward it to all
your friends right away!
Don't think about it! This is not a chain letter! This story is true! Don't
check it out! This story is so timely,
there is no date on it! This story is so important, we're using lots of
exclamation points! Lots!! For every
message you forward to some unsuspecting person, the Home for the Hopelessly
Gullible will donate
ten cents to itself. (If you wonder how the Home will know you are forwarding
these messages all over
creation, you're obviously thinking too much.)
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ACT NOW! DON'T DELAY! LIMITED TIME ONLY! NOT SOLD IN ANY STORE!
The idea of sending this around to everyone kind of defeats the point of the riddle. (Not that it worked, anyway) What kind of logic allows a person to believe this and think it is a good idea to send it around.
