Death Loves Twitter

So, a lot of famous people have died in the past month, eh?

If you use Twitter, it probably seems like EVEN MORE famous people have died. Because news moves so fast through the medium, death hoaxes have been rampant lately. First, let's set a few records straight.

Michael Jackson really did die. (Seriously, he did.) So did Farrah Fawcett, David Carradine, David Eddings, Walter Cronkite, and Frank McCourt.

I confirmed each one (for myself) through a news outlet, but learned about all of them through Twitter (via goodbyes posted by @megcabot, @ShaunieDarko, and @unmodern), and I'm pretty sure @bethrevis learned about McCourt from my reaction. It's like lightning.

Which is why, in recent weeks, Jeff Goldblum, Britney Spear, Miley Cyrus, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Natalie Portman, and Rick Astley have had to issue statements -- or make appearances -- to prove they haven't yet given up their respective ghosts. Every one of them was the subject of a death hoax that raced through the ether via Twitter and other social media tools.

Not sure what to make of this. We're already cynical enough that when two celebrities die, everyone asks, "Who's number 3?" Are we so prurient we've gone beyond craving celebrity death news (admit it!) and into creating it? Obviously, some have. And they've found a very visible platform to shout it from.

At which point, I have to admit I've begun to get most of my news through Twitter. I investigate everything further, but I let my Twitter contacts pass along the big news first.

Is this the future? Or are we looping back to days when you got the latest from the old men playing checkers at the general store? They had a remedy for boys who cry, "Wolf!"

Do we?

[image via Nielson Wire, manipulated by me]
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