How to Recognize Hoaxes and Urban Legends Found in Email "FWDs" and Other Internet Venues and Stop the Propagation of Bad Information, Or, Attention Associated Content Readers--There's Not Really a Painted Cat Controversy

For years now, my inbox, probably much like yours, has often been a depository of obvious, rabid junk mail, and indecipherable spam, the likes of which would throw an Allied Codebreaker into grand convulsions. But what about those emails we receive, not from sources unknown, but our own friends, relatives, and acquaintances, which contain seemingly poignant information, all manner of pleas, useful tips, alerts to unknown dangers? Well, those are junk too.

In the 15+ years now, that the internet and email has been a staple of communication, it would seem that most people duly recognize these hoaxes, and delete them with the same vigor with which one goes about deleting the delightful email "Penile Enchanments Offer" or the equally charming "At ineligible so virulent." Instead, these hoaxes are passed on and read with enthusiasm. And unfortunately, sometimes duplicated in the form of articles at Associated Content.

When I first began writing for AC, I spent some time in the forums, reading posts and whatnot, to get an idea of the overall environment, and hopefully, to glean some information of others' experiences. There were some messages in which a few people acknowledged that their articles were essentially rewrites of news articles found elsewhere. I'm certain there is an ethical and intelligent way to go about that method of writing. And I am certain that--especially if information derived from an email FWD (signifying 'forward', and found in the subject line) is a source or basis of an article--one of those ethics would normally involve at least some degree of fact-checking.

First of all, how can one determine if a FWD is a hoax? There are several easy ways. David Emery's excellent and entertaining About.com Urban Legends website has an entire page devoted to this, entitled How to Spot an Email Hoax and is a perfect guide to determining if any given FWD is the stuff of legends. The hoax signs include: the use of emphatic language, such as TEXT IN ALL CAPS and superfluous exclamation points, anonymous authorship, outrageous and inflammatory claims, and ironically, oaths of authenticity. He further states that oftentimes, the hoaxes are written in such a way to emulate a professional, credible, a journalistic style.

Being extremely skeptical of FWD emails is a wise practice. Their very nature of being provocative, and earth-shattering, is evidence of their individual appeal, and appeal is what keeps them forwarding around the ethers. Almost by definition then, an email FWD is a hoax. And hoaxes, by definition, are stories or events based on false, misleading, or deceptive information. This isn't something on which to build credibility in your writing. It also participates in the inanity of the FWD cycle, by promoting ridiculous and even sometimes harmful notions as valuable and truthful. What's the point of that?

So, when it comes to email FWDs, the first rule is to be skeptical. Next, find out if the email or information has been debunked. David Emery's site mentioned above is a good one, and there is also excellent information at www.scambusters.org, and likewise at snopes.com. The sites are formatted so that looking up a particular email or legend is simple. The sites are also quite interesting and entertaining.