Internet Virus Warning



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WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE!
Gullibility Virus Spreading over the Internet!
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WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular
Internet Phenomena announced today that many Internet users are
becoming infected by a new virus that causes them to believe without
question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning that shows
up in their inbox or on their browser. The Gullibility Virus, as it
is called, apparently makes people believe and forward copies of silly
hoaxes relating to cookie recipes, e-mail viruses, taxes on modems, and
get-rich-quick schemes.

"These are not just readers of tabloids or people who buy lottery
tickets based on fortune cookie numbers", a spokesman said. "Most are
otherwise normal people, who would laugh at the same stories if told
to them by a stranger on a street corner". However, once these same
people become infected with the Gullibility Virus, they believe
anything they read on the Internet.

"My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone", reported
one weeping victim. "I believe every warning message and sick child
story my friends forward to me, even though most of the messages are
anonymous."

Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about
Good Times, I just accepted it without question. After all, there
were dozens of other recipients on the mail header, so I thought the
virus must be true". It was a long time, the victim said, before she
could stand up at a Hoaxees Anonymous meeting and state, "My name is
Jane, and I've been hoaxed". Now, however, she is spreading the word.
"Challenge and check whatever you read," she says.

Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptoms of the
virus, which include the following:
-- The willingness to believe improbable stories without thinking.
-- The urge to forward multiple copies of such stories to others.
-- A lack of desire to take three minutes to check to see if a story
is true.

T.C. is an example of someone recently infected. He told one reporter,
"I read on the Net that the major ingredient in almost all shampoos
makes your hair fall out, so I've stopped using shampoo".

When told about the Gullibility Virus, T. C. said he would stop
reading e-mail, so that he would not become infected.

Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately.
Experts recommend that at the first feelings of gullibility, Internet
users rush to their favorite search engine and look up the item
tempting them to thoughtless credence. Most hoaxes, legends, and tall
tales have been widely discussed and exposed by the Internet community.

Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, and
there is on-line help from many sources, including:

-- Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability at

http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html

-- Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html

-- McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at

http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html

-- Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at

http://www.drsolomons.com/vircen/hoax.html

-- The Urban Legends Web Site at

http://www.urbanlegends.com

-- Urban Legends Reference Pages at

http://www.snopes.com

-- Datafellows Hoax Warnings at

http://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm

Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate themselves
against the Gullibility Virus by reading some good material on
evaluating sources, such as:

-- Evaluating Internet Research Sources at

http://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm

-- Evaluation of Information Sources at

http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm

-- Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at

http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM

It *is* possible to design responsible alerts for people to circulate
on the Internet. Here is a how-to that draws positive conclusions
from long experience with the evils of badly designed alerts:

-- Designing Effective Action Alerts for the Internet at

http://weber.ucsd.edu/~pagre/alerts.html

Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the
Gullibility Virus by sending copies of this message to anyone who
forwards them a hoax.