25 Internet Lies That People Still Strangely Believe

Posted by , Updated on January 8, 2024

The internet is an interesting place. You can find everything. Seriously. Everything from how quantum physics works to the best sheep shearing techniques, the internet has it all. Want to learn to swim? Internet. Get a job? Internet. Find a cool cafe? Internet. Get a degree? Internet. How did we even live before this? Well, we did, somehow. The truth is that the internet has done a lot of good. Actually, that’s an understatement. It has almost single-handedly perpetuated revolutions (the Arab Spring). As with most things, however, there is a downside.

The good thing, of course, is that everyone has a platform. The bad thing? That everyone has a platform. As engineers would say, the signal to noise ratio is pretty low. For every useful piece of information (signal), there is quite a bit of spam (noise). Today, that is where our focus will be. We are interested not only in the loudest “noise,” but also the most harmful and wrong “noise.” As you can imagine, the internet has no shortage. Whether it is flat earth theory (yes, this is actually a thing) or “Doctors hate him!!” advertisements, the internet is full of noise. These are the 25 Biggest Lies Told On The Internet That People Still Strangely Believe!

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Featured Image: pixabay

25

That this person did such-and-such, and they are terrible.

That this person did so-and-so and they are terribleImage: someecards, Source: bbc

Quite often the image macros we see on the internet are just random photos pulled from facebook profiles. That woman didn’t actually sleep around while her husband was deployed.

24

You will make a difference by signing that online petition.

You will make a difference by signing that online petition

Probably not.

23

Drop Bears

Drop BearsSource: wikipedia

Even the Australian government is in on this one.

22

Dihydrogen Monoxide is killing us because the government forces us to ingest it.

Dihydrogen Monoxide is killing us because the government forces us to ingest itImage: pixabay, Source: wikipedia

And everyone who drinks it dies. Guys…it’s water. This social experiment has been around for a while with the stated intention of showing how gullible people are. It involves calling water according to its less familiar name and then stating some of its supposedly “dangerous” properties. People have been falling for this for years.

21

All your friends have amazing lives.

That all your friends have amazing livesImage: Richard foster via Flickr, Source: mashable

Yes, facebook makes it seem that way because it’s stuffed with super happy images of your friends with their kids and houses, but it’s not true. Everyone has problems; they just put their best face on the internet. Researchers have actually shown that spending time on facebook can trigger depression precisely because of this.

20

Vaccines cause autism.

Vaccines cause autismSource: wikipedia

Thanks to one British physician who has since been convicted of fraud and barred from practicing medicine (Dr. Andrew Wakefield), tons of people now believe that vaccines cause autism. How can we say this?…um…they don’t.

19

Man finds cheap cure for baldness, Doctors hate him!

Man finds cheap cure for baldness, Doctors hate him!

Yes, the doctors probably do hate him, but only because he is misleading patients. Other than that, good luck with the cheap cure.

18

Your intelligence is in the top 5% if you can answer these 4 questions!

That your intelligence is in the top 5% of you can answer these 4 questions!

Seriously?

17

Microsoft wants remote access to your computer so that they can remove a virus.

Microsoft wants remote access to your computer so that they can remove a virusSource: reddit

A) That’s not Microsoft B) They’re not removing viruses

16

I have read and accepted the terms and conditions.

I have read and accepted the terms and conditionsImage: someecards

No, you haven’t.

15

Most of the quotes people share on Tumblr

Most of the quotes people share on Tumblr

“Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” – Abraham Lincoln

 

Addicted to the Internet? Here are 25 Ways The Internet Has Changed The World For Better Or For Worse.

14

Yes, I am over 18 years old.

Yes, I am over 18 years old

Says everyone that is under 18 but still wants to watch that youtube video….

13

Adware falsified your husbands internet history.

Adware falsified your husbands internet historySource: 9gag
12

Someone either agrees with you or doesn't.

That someone either agrees with you or doesn't

Thanks to social media, we have all polarized ourselves, and we live in our own “filter bubbles.” We see and hear what we want, and those that don’t agree with us are “bad.” There is no middle ground.

11

You can charge your phone by microwaving it for 10 seconds.

You can charge your phone by microwaving it for 10 secondsImage: someecards

No, you can’t.

10

KONY 2012

KONY 2012Source: wikipedia

It crashed and burned almost just as quickly as it virally exploded.

9

LOL

LOL

No, you didn’t. Your facial muscles probably barely twitched.

8

Mr. Rogers used to a be a Navy Seal and is covered in tattoos, which is why he always wears long sleeves.

Mr. Rogers used to a be a Navy Seal and is covered in tattoos which is why he always wears long sleevesSource: snopes

Nope and nope.

7

Your browser's "do not track" prevents websites from tracking you.

That your browser's "do not track" prevents websites from tracking youSource: wikipedia

No, it only politely requests that they don’t. They have no obligation to comply.

6

Will Smith's father left him, and that's why he improvised that scene in Fresh Prince; it was because he was speaking from experience

Will Smith's father left him and that's why he improvised that scene in Fresh Prince, because he was speaking from experienceSource: wikipedia

Will Smith’s dad never left him.

5

You have to either support something or be against it.

You have to either support something or be against it

This is perhaps best exemplified during election season. Either you are anti-immigration/pro-military/pro-gun/republican or pro-immigration/anti-military/anti-gun/democrat. There is no acceptable middle ground.

4

There is a single in your area that wants to talk to you.

There is a single in your area that wants to talk to you

Possibly, but you won’t meet them by clicking on that button. You’d probably have a better chance by trying a new hobby or something.

3

People remember your birthday.

People remember your birthdayImage: wikipedia

They just check Facebook.

2

You eat spiders while you sleep.

You eat spiders while you sleepImage: wikipedia, Source: wikipedia

Big nope. One of the last places a spider would want to hide is in the warm mouth of a mammal.

1

The new iPhone update makes your phone waterproof.

The new iPhone update makes your phone waterproofImage: wikipedia, Source: reddit

After a fake add appeared on 4chan, some people actually ended up believing this.

 

Are you interested in hearing more internet lies? Here are 25 Biggest Lies Told On The Internet.