Michael Jordan dies at 52? FAKE NEWS.
In February of 2015, a doubtful website called Cronica MX published an article claiming that the legendary NBA basketball player, Michael Jordan was found dead. It stated that the former Chicago Bull’s death was caused by a sudden heart attack that occurred in his sleep at the age of 52. A sketchy website called Nairaland published a similar article a few months later in November of 2015 as well. There was a fake news video that surfaced all over youtube, which made the story more believable. Many people were devastated by the fake news that was spread all over social media. However, after doing some research, it is evident that this was fake news that was used to deceive people on the internet.
After carefully looking through google for more information, the article came up on a couple facts checking sources. The facts checking website known as Snopes identifies the suspicious article to be absolutely false. The fake news about the star player has been circulating the internet since early 2015. In the fake article they included specific details to make the news sound official. It included information such as the place and time of his death. The article read, “Around 3 am, Yvette Prieto, now widow of the star noticed that her husband showed no vital signs and she proceeded to call 911.” The article continued by stating that his death took place in his North Carolina residence.
The claim that was made by the website Cronica MX also included a video to go along with their story to make it more realistic. After watching the video and doing some research, it is not hard to tell that it is most certainly a fake storyline. In the video clip, there is a video footage snippet of sports cast reporter named Rich Eisen. In the clip he saying his farewells on live television. According to facts check website Snopes, that broadcast aired January 2015 on NFL Game Day. Reporter Rich Eisen was actually talking about former ESPN anchor named Stuart Scott. Rich had just found out he died that morning. They edited the video by cropping it to make it sound as if Rich was talking about the famous NBA player Michael Jordan.
The internet can be a detrimental tool just as it is beneficial. Social media has become a great outlet for people in many ways. It allows people to interact with other people, shop online, find jobs, and spread international news as well. However, social media has also been the cause of fake news, rumors, lies, and information that can cause risks to ones personal life. It is important to carefully examine what we read and see on the internet because it can deceive people if they are gullible enough. Nowadays people will say anything for views and likes, so it is essential that viewers keep an eye out for unreliable information. Using fact checking websites and putting in a little time to research can help identify how accurate a source is.
Works Cited
Mikkelson, David. Michael Jordan Death Hoax. 11 Nov. 2017, www.snopes.com/fact-check/michael-jordan-death-hoax/.
“RIP! Former NBA Superstar Michael Jordan Died In His Sleep [Video] — Sports — Nigeria.” Nairaland, the Nigerian Forum, www.nairaland.com/2712994/rip-former-nba-superstar-michael.
