Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1177538
SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2019 19 By Theresa Rossetti, Resident Even if you have no exposure to social media, don't browse websites, never read magazines or newspapers, don't get email, don't talk to anyone about anything, you've probably seen or heard a hoax or two. Hoaxes are designed to trick you into believing a falsehood. The photo of the Loch Ness Monster. The War of the Worlds. You can charge your iPod with an onion. Sadly, they abound on the Internet. Some are designed to generate ad revenue, some can cost you money, others present as fact something that is easily proven to be a lie, and a few seem harmless. For example: Ad revenue: Bill Gates, Oprah or Disney is not going to give you money for sharing a post. But sharing the post might generate ad revenue for the person who started it. Cost you money: Your computer has been infected with a virus that can be fixed by allowing a stranger to take control of your PC and "erase the virus." It is much more likely he will steal your tax or credit information. Presenting something as fact that is a lie: Beware of any post that consists of ALL CAPITAL LETTERS or way too many !!!!!. If it looks like an updated version of a headline from the National Enquirer, it's probably a lie. Harmless lies: Facebook is not going to start charging money or sell your photos unless you post a disclaimer. In case you're wondering what harm there is in sharing or forwarding these posts/emails, you are giving away your contact information and perpetuating the hoax. If the original post is found to be fake and removed, your post remains if you did a copy/paste. Liking, or worse opening, a fake news articles takes you to an ad-driven website giving them access to your contact information. Recently, Facebook has made it possible to see where the managers of a page are located under Page Transparency. You might be unpleasantly surprised to see where the managers of some of the pages you follow are located. Let's not be the person of whom P.T. Barnum perhaps said, "There's a sucker born every minute." (The quote can't be verified). Instead, let's listen to the words of Pete Townsend from The Who, who wrote "We won't be fooled again." HOAXBUSTERS!