Friday, March 20, 2020

SOCIAL MEDIA FLOODED WITH CORONAVIRUS-19 HOAXES

From Patch
By Mark Konkol


The viral text message warning of a national quarantine is a hoax. (Mark Konkol)

CHICAGO — On Wednesday night, I received a fear-mongering group text by a guy from the old neighborhood who is not an idiot. My pal sent a screenshot of a text that started: "Fwd: From a CPD Commander. This is Real."

Here's what it said: "I just got this report. Homeland security is preparing to mobilize the national guard. Preparing to dispatch them across the US along with military. ... They are preparing to announce a nationwide 2 week quarantine for all citizens, All businesses closed. Everyone at home. They will announce this as soon as they have troops in place to help prevent looters and rioters ... they will announce before the end of the weekend, within 48 to 72 hours the president will evoke what is called the 'Stafford Act.'"

The message inspired a series of quick replies.

"How did you get this?"

"Can't tell you, but it is from a real source."

"Yikes! This is so scary"

"Knew that was coming."

Of course, the "real" warning from a Chicago police commander was bogus, one of dozens of new coronavirus fake news conspiracies populating social media. This particular internet hoax was shot down by the White House via Twitter on Monday.

"Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgov has and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19. #coronavirus," the National Security Council tweeted.

Nobody can blame you if you don't believe every tweet coming from the White House. But, according to fact-checkers at reputable news outlets, this tweet is true.

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistant Act that President Donald Trump used to declare a state of emergency during the new coronavirus pandemic clears the way for the federal government to send emergency funds to states and disaster victims.

A USA Today "fact check" of the same bogus national quarantine message posted on Facebook post by "Jasmine Morgan," allegedly a Walmart employee from South Richmond, Virginia, determined: "The specific powers granted by the Stafford Act, however, do not provide the president or the federal government the authority to order a national quarantine."

On Wednesday night, I sent my knucklehead pals alink to a story debunking the phony panic-peddling text message. At first, the geniuses didn't buy it.

"So which should we believe???" one of the guys wrote.

"Standby. I'm trying to verify," my buddy, a college-educated fellow who doesn't wear a tinfoil hat, replied.

"I know there is a hoax text going around. My friend said this one is true, but I have my doubts. It's probably a hoax, and if it is then he's an a------. He does have a brother who is a higher up in CPD though, and he said he got it from his brother."

Another buddy doubled down on siding with the bogus message. He texted a screenshot that he got from a guy at work whose "aunt works for homeland security" sent him a screenshot of a similar text warning family members to "stock up and be prepared" for a "quarantine up to 30 days."

The text cited three sources: Some guy's aunt got the text from "cuz Janet," who got it from "a friend" whose "father works in homeland security."

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

And the Valley ignorant soak this shit up. Puro inutil en el Valle, puro panico con estas pendejas.

Anonymous said...

Respect Yourself
The Staple Singers
If you disrespect anybody that you run in to
How in the world do you think anybody's s'posed to respect you
If you don't give a heck 'bout the man with the bible in his hand, y'all
Just get out the way, and let the gentleman do his thing
You the kind of gentleman that want everything your way, yeah
Take the sheet off your face, boy, it's a brand new day
Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself
If you don't respect yourself
Ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na na na na
Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself
If you're walking 'round think'n that the world owes you something 'cause you're here
You goin' out the world backwards like you did when you first come here yeah
Keep talkin' bout the president, won't stop air pollution
Put your hand on your mouth when you cough, that'll help the solution
Oh, you cuss around women and you don't even know their names, no
Then you're dumb enough to think that'll make you a big ol' man
Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself
If you don't respect yourself
Ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na na na na
Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself
Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself
Respect yourself, yeah yeah respect yourself, respect yourself yeah, respect yourself
You oughta you oughta respect yourself yeah, respect yourself

Anonymous said...

How else do you expect they can stop this other than make people say away from each other.

Anonymous said...

Is spaceX sending people to Mars? I hope they sent all the elected officials from this area first Good Riddence

Anonymous said...

Comments degrading the local population only place the person making the comments as an ignorant that is doing the same thing he accuses of others being.
Most people in the valley are not informed or "educated", BUT, most managed to survive hurricanes, peso devaluations, world wars, etc.
What is going on in the valley stores is happening ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I know people in California, Arizona, Houston, Austin, Corpus that the shelves in their stores are the same, and in some cases worse, than here in the valley. I guess they are as ignorant as you say we are. Most of the people I am talking with are nurses, lawyers, teachers in other areas. They DONT have the time to go shop during the restricted hrs. because they are IN THE FRONT LINES taking care of those who like you all spend the time criticizing instead of being pro-active.
At the end of the day, young or old, valley ignorant or outside of the valley "intelligent" WE ARE ON OUR OWN. Take care of yourself individually and let each family, each individual worry about their own.

Anonymous said...

The Piranha section is offering chewed up meat with a few broken teeth at 5.00 a lb and maggots go for 10 bucvks a lb. No deliveries only drive up and between 12 to 6 everyday.

Anonymous said...

“You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have tried everything else.”

-Winston Churchill

Anonymous said...

We can always count on many Americans being pure "assholes" during any crisis. Any hoax about this crisis is from an "asshole" who has nothing productive or positive to do.

rita