Buzz
The Internet, as we know it, has only been around for about two decades, but in that short time, it has transformed the world in unimaginable ways. Along with the technological and communicative breakthroughs, opportunities to deceive, prank, and entertain have flourished. While you don't need an Internet connection to play a trick, having one certainly helps.
10. The Shark Helicopter
This was the very first Internet hoax. In 2001, this image appeared online and captured the attention of the early wave of Internet users. It quickly spread via email, falsely claiming to be National Geographic's 'Photo of the Year.'
The image was a blend of two distinct photos—one showing a helicopter performing a maneuver in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, and another of a great white shark captured in South Africa. After the hoax was exposed, the image appeared in various psychology and marketing textbooks, and even in National Geographic itself.
9. The Reddit Serial Killer Hoax
A young girl, convinced her uncle was a serial killer, created a blog filled with 'evidence.' The blog featured photographs supposedly taken by her, showing her uncle’s clippings, bloodstained clothes, and other suspicious items.
A quick Google search revealed connections between the evidence and multiple Wikipedia pages about past murders, raising alarms. However, the entire setup—the blog, the girl, the evidence, and even the murders—was entirely fabricated. It wasn’t until the story gained traction on Reddit that the hoax was revealed—it lasted only 26 minutes. What made this particularly fascinating was that the whole thing had been orchestrated by students from George Mason University as part of a class project.
Many people suggested that IP addresses from George Mason University be banned from Wikipedia due to 'Internet vandalism.' However, the proposal was rejected, even after T. Mills Kelly, the course professor, promised to try again.
8. Mets Get Rickrolled
The infamous Internet prank known as 'Rickrolling' involves tricking someone into clicking on a link or video that appears intriguing, only to redirect them to the music video for Rick Astley’s 'Never Gonna Give You Up.'
A week before the 2008 Opening Day, the New York Mets’ website asked fans to vote on a new sing-along song to energize the crowd. True to Internet culture, 'Never Gonna Give You Up' won and became the official Mets song. A week later, it was played on game night, met with a chorus of boos.
Mets staff were initially baffled, unable to comprehend how an '80s British pop hit could surpass songs like Bon Jovi’s 'Living on a Prayer.' Once the situation was clarified, the Mets were a bit annoyed, but they still played the song once every six games.
7. The Pitbull Exile
When the Alaskan Wal-Mart won the contest, Pitbull expressed no disappointment and traveled to Kodiak to perform. He even invited Thorpe and Hendren to join him, which they accepted.
6. The Death Star Petition
In early 2013, a petition on the White House’s official website asking the U.S. government to start building a Death Star drew attention. The website stated that if a petition reached 25,000 signatures, it would be reviewed and answered by the administration. This particular petition gathered nearly 35,000 signatures.
The official response from the administration was that the projected cost of $850 quadrillion was simply too exorbitant, and that the government does not endorse blowing up planets. They also raised a point: “Why would we spend taxpayer money on a Death Star with such a critical flaw that could be exploited by a lone starship?”
5. Save Toby
Toby was the pet rabbit of James and Brian, the creators behind SaveToby.com. They launched the website in early 2005, promising to kill and eat Toby unless they raised $50,000 by June 30. The site featured pictures and videos of Toby, along with details of their plans to prepare him for a meal.
Later on, James and Brian released a book titled 'Only You Have the Power to Save Toby,' which was a collection of rabbit cooking recipes. They asserted that if the book didn't sell 100,000 copies, they would fulfill their unsettling promise.
Animal rights activists condemned the website as promoting animal cruelty and tried to shut it down. While they succeeded in disabling the PayPal donation link, GoDaddy.com refused to take down the site. Their official response was: 'It is perfectly legal to eat a rabbit.'
The website was eventually revealed to be a hoax when it was bought by Bored.com. However, the creators claimed that they had raised over $20,000 in donations.
4. Dub The Dew
Crowdsourced campaigns on the Internet often seem promising until you realize just how little the average user cares about basic decency.
In this instance, Mountain Dew was introducing a new green apple flavor and wanted the Internet to suggest and vote on its name. However, almost no one took the contest seriously. The top suggestions included names like 'gushing granny,' 'sierra mist,' and 'diabettus.' Mountain Dew ultimately shut down the promotional site when 'Hitler did nothing wrong' topped the voting list.
3. LonelyGirl15
In June 2006, a 16-year-old girl started posting video blogs about her daily life under the YouTube handle 'lonelygirl15.' As the videos gained followers, the content took a darker turn. Bree Avery, the girl behind the videos, began hinting that her family was involved in strange cult activities and that she was being kept captive by cult members. As Bree’s parents disappeared, her videos drew increasing attention, especially as she was pressured into taking part in secret cult rituals.
The videos captivated concerned viewers until, four months later, the truth was revealed: it was all fictional. Although some viewers had been skeptical, the hoax was so well-crafted that a sting operation was needed to reveal the actress behind 'lonelygirl15.'
The show continued to thrive and expanded into several spin-offs, introducing numerous characters, before officially concluding in 2008.
2. Taylor Swift School For Deaf
In 2012, a competition launched by 'VH1 Storytellers,' Papa John’s, and Chegg promised that Taylor Swift would perform at the school that received the most votes. Reddit and 4chan saw this as the perfect opportunity to prank a celebrity, and before long, it appeared that the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing would be hosting a private Swift concert.
However, after the school won in a landslide, Taylor Swift and her sponsors disqualified them. The headmaster was not pleased, and in defense, he argued that even hearing-impaired individuals could enjoy the music. To settle the matter, Taylor Swift donated $10,000 to make things right.
1. Bald For Bieber And Cutting For Bieber
