02
Aug

Gullibility Virus Spreading Over the Internet!

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, E-Mail 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 Ive been hoaxed. Now, however, she is spreading
the word. Challenge and 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 Ive stopped using shampoo.
When told about the Gullibility Virus, T. C. said he would stop
reading e-mail, 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 by 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.

Forward this message to all your friends right away! Dont think
about it! This is not a chain letter! This story is true! Dont
check it out! This story is so timely, there is no date on it!
This story is so important, were using lots of exclamation points!!!
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, youre obviously thinking too
much.)

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