In the wake of the Daesh-coordinated attacks in Paris last week, Twitter became inundated with the hashtag #PrayForParis. Quickly afterwards, #PrayForBaghdad and #PrayForBeirut took off in reference to Daesh attacks which killed dozens in both cities on the same day and the day before.
However, as always seems to be the case on social media, misinformation began to spread. In an effort to pray for as many people as possible on Twitter, users began talking about things that happened either months ago or not at all—convinced that multiple disasters had struck worldwide and simultaeously killed tens of thousands of people.
Here are four of the most unfortunate inaccuracies confusing the Internet so far.
1. Forty-three fatalities in Beirut, 128 in Paris and 26 in Baghdad somehow adding up to 115,200.
24 hours and we lost 115,200 heartbeats. #PrayForWorld pic.twitter.com/PfW1lXcD0I
— Wasan (@W_Kurd89) November 14, 2015
2. Japan being befuddled about prayers from Justin.
Even Justin Bieber got caught up in the social media frenzy, praying for Japan despite the earthquake and tsunami reportedly not killing anyone. Japanese Twitter users appreciated his prayers though.
All this happened in one daypic.twitter.com/tMaLNmFEor
— Don∆ld (@0fficialDonald) November 14, 2015— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) November 14, 2015we appreciate your efforts but there's literally no need to #prayforjapan it was hundreds of kms off the coast and the tsunami was 30cm high
— Mina (@minamarie94) November 15, 2015This is awkward but no need for #PrayForJapan... Nobody is dead. No damage. Social network is a scary place. So many misinformation.
— meg (@megmeg203) November 14, 2015
3. Attention to the horrific attack at Garissa University killed 147 people—in April.
Tens of thousands of people began posting the story from earlier this year, decrying how events happening on "the same day" as Paris were going unreported. The BBC reported an article they wrote about the attack back in April garnered more than ten million page views over two days—four times as many as when the attack actually occured.
Sad that nearly nobody is talking about Kenya... Same day, same time, same reason, same attackers... But different class of importantance.
— joie (@joieduplessis) November 16, 2015I'm all for the recognition of the Paris attacks, but there were 147 people murdered in Kenya on the same day.
— Nick Leehy (@Lnick11) November 16, 2015
4. Prayers for the wrong Paris (actually).
While users might be forgiven for praying for worldwide disasters despite not getting all of their facts right, probably the most blaring blunder came from the Twitter camp who thought #PrayForParis was about Paris Hilton.
Alright wtf happen to Paris Hilton ? #prayforparis
— Shrooomie (@shrooom420) November 14, 2015#PrayForParis did Paris Hilton die or something?
— ️ (@xSkyIine) November 13, 2015
This user summed it up pretty well.
FACTCHECK PLEASE:The attack in Kenya happened last April,the hurricane in Mexico was weeks ago and an earthquake killed 18K in Japan in 2011
— Update: Earthquakes (@Earthquake_rt) November 16, 2015
