Fact Check: Are You A Fucking Idiot For Sharing All Those Covid-19 WhatsApp Rumours?
LIKE other news agencies, WWN is dedicated to ensuring its readers and viewers get all the necessary and accurate information surrounding the Covid-19 virus.
As part of this coverage, we will continue with our ‘Fact Check’ series which debunks false news stories and information. First up; are you a fucking idiot for sharing all those Covid-19 WhatsApp rumours?
First, the rumours themselves
Chances are many of you have read, seen or listened to a number of the unhelpful and false rumours already, but let’s go through the most common ones:
– The cure to the Covid-19 virus comes by licking your own anus. FALSE: we will not go into how we know this, but if anyone has the number for a good back specialist send it on. Also, do not use bleach on your tongue to clean it, it stings.
– My second cousin’s golden retriever’s former owner’s second wife’s oncologist’s neighbour’s barman says Covid-19 was in the RA.
– The entire army is being deployed at 0700 hours tomorrow to your Ma’s house, the durty bitch.
– Forwarded message from a senior fella up in the health service, government will announce the following tomorrow; eat the weak first, human thigh meat is best in a spaghetti bolognese.
– In a bid to preserve the Irish people, the two finest examples of Irishness will be placed in a pod where they will be required to procreate endlessly and preserve the Irish race. Those two people, Daniel O’Donnell and Enya.
– Anyone who coughs within 500 metres of President Michael D Higgins will be shot on sight.
– Seriously lads, stop panic buying, my dealer said they’ve enough coke supply to last for months. Relax.
– Apparently it is a bad idea and irresponsible to attend a pub. FALSE: turns out it’s great craic according to absolute legends, and the piss up can just continue all the way through to the funerals of any elderly people affected.
But are you a fucking idiot for sharing all those WhatsApp rumours?
It depends on several criteria. If a well-meaning individual includes any of the following reasoning for helping to widely circulate them:
– ‘Take it with a pinch of salt’
– ‘I don’t buy it myself but’
– ‘Sending on just in case’
– ‘Probably bullshit’
– ‘Keep this under your hate’
– ‘You know I’m normally one for sending these on but’
Then, yes, they’re still a fucking idiot for sharing them.
CLAIM: You are a fucking idiot for sharing all those WhatsApp rumours.
VERDICT: Sounds about right.