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Inside the Arab rumor mill: Eight times Twitter got it wrong

Published May 25th, 2015 - 06:33 GMT

The Middle East is engulfed in violence on the ground, but the Twittersphere has tallied its own fake casualties in the region.

From Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the online rumor mill has been killing people left and right. It’s also tracked the late Lebanese singer Sabah’s marriages, and stalked Kim Kardashian’s travel plans in the MidEast.

We’ve rounded up a few of the region’s biggest rumors that have sprouted up over the years, basking in brief Twitter glory before getting deflated.

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According to Arabic Twitter, Bashar al-Assad has been killed a bunch of times. The most recent example was just earlier this month, when a Tunisian website tweeted out an old YouTube video in which FSA rebels claimed the Syrian president had been shot in the head by a security guard. Problem was it was from 2013, and back then it was still untrue.

According to Arabic Twitter, Bashar al-Assad has been killed a bunch of times. The most recent example was just earlier this month, when a Tunisian website tweeted out an old YouTube video in which FSA rebels claimed the Syrian president had been shot in the head by a security guard. Problem was it was from 2013, and back then it was still untrue.

Daesh’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is another frequent guest on the Arabic rumor mill. Death reports have made their way all over the Internet since the group’s push into northern Iraq last summer. Radio Iran even said last month that the leader was dead in the Golan Heights at an Israeli hospital where he had been receiving treatment.

Daesh’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is another frequent guest on the Arabic rumor mill. Death reports have made their way all over the Internet since the group’s push into northern Iraq last summer. Radio Iran even said last month that the leader was dead in the Golan Heights at an Israeli hospital where he had been receiving treatment.

During the Jordanian pilot hostage crisis in Jordan earlier this year, local media agencies began tweeting that Jordanian authorities had already handed Sajida Rishawi over to sheiks in Iraq, essentially nullifying the possibility of a hostage exchange. Jordan was quick to shoot this one down, but it showed how easily a news rumor could spiral.

During the Jordanian pilot hostage crisis in Jordan earlier this year, local media agencies began tweeting that Jordanian authorities had already handed Sajida Rishawi over to sheiks in Iraq, essentially nullifying the possibility of a hostage exchange. Jordan was quick to shoot this one down, but it showed how easily a news rumor could spiral.

Kim Kardashian and Jordan — You guys remember this one. Kim Kardashian was supposed to pass into the Hashemite Kingdom after spending time in Jerusalem last month. Awaiting her arrival, young Jordanians tweeted and chatted, old ladies lamented on the radio. In the end though, she skipped the kingdom entirely.

Kim Kardashian and Jordan — You guys remember this one. Kim Kardashian was supposed to pass into the Hashemite Kingdom after spending time in Jerusalem last month. Awaiting her arrival, young Jordanians tweeted and chatted, old ladies lamented on the radio. In the end though, she skipped the kingdom entirely.

Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has been killed off a few times by Saudi airstrikes. Last month, Iranian website Al-Alam reported he and a top Houthi commander had been killed in a Saudi strike in Sanaa. Reddit asked for confirmation as Twitter lit up with the news. Hours later, it was “debunked” on the same Reddit thread.

Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has been killed off a few times by Saudi airstrikes. Last month, Iranian website Al-Alam reported he and a top Houthi commander had been killed in a Saudi strike in Sanaa. Reddit asked for confirmation as Twitter lit up with the news. Hours later, it was “debunked” on the same Reddit thread.

The late Saudi King Abdullah died in January, but his hoax deaths have been plentiful. In 2014, an “R.I.P. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah” Facebook page garnered more than a million likes. Then weeks before his actual death, Twitter said he died again on January 7, causing the unexpected side effect of soaring oil prices. Whoops.

The late Saudi King Abdullah died in January, but his hoax deaths have been plentiful. In 2014, an “R.I.P. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah” Facebook page garnered more than a million likes. Then weeks before his actual death, Twitter said he died again on January 7, causing the unexpected side effect of soaring oil prices. Whoops.

It’s not just deaths rumors Sabah tallied. Known as much for her love of song as her love of husbands, she married ten men in her lifetime, but magazines rumored of countless more over the years. And in a delightful combination of both famous rumors, Sabah dispelled a 2003 death rumor by showing up to an interview with 23-year-old Omar Mihio.

It’s not just deaths rumors Sabah tallied. Known as much for her love of song as her love of husbands, she married ten men in her lifetime, but magazines rumored of countless more over the years. And in a delightful combination of both famous rumors, Sabah dispelled a 2003 death rumor by showing up to an interview with 23-year-old Omar Mihio.

According to Arabic Twitter, Bashar al-Assad has been killed a bunch of times. The most recent example was just earlier this month, when a Tunisian website tweeted out an old YouTube video in which FSA rebels claimed the Syrian president had been shot in the head by a security guard. Problem was it was from 2013, and back then it was still untrue.
Daesh’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is another frequent guest on the Arabic rumor mill. Death reports have made their way all over the Internet since the group’s push into northern Iraq last summer. Radio Iran even said last month that the leader was dead in the Golan Heights at an Israeli hospital where he had been receiving treatment.
During the Jordanian pilot hostage crisis in Jordan earlier this year, local media agencies began tweeting that Jordanian authorities had already handed Sajida Rishawi over to sheiks in Iraq, essentially nullifying the possibility of a hostage exchange. Jordan was quick to shoot this one down, but it showed how easily a news rumor could spiral.
Kim Kardashian and Jordan — You guys remember this one. Kim Kardashian was supposed to pass into the Hashemite Kingdom after spending time in Jerusalem last month. Awaiting her arrival, young Jordanians tweeted and chatted, old ladies lamented on the radio. In the end though, she skipped the kingdom entirely.
Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has been killed off a few times by Saudi airstrikes. Last month, Iranian website Al-Alam reported he and a top Houthi commander had been killed in a Saudi strike in Sanaa. Reddit asked for confirmation as Twitter lit up with the news. Hours later, it was “debunked” on the same Reddit thread.
The late Saudi King Abdullah died in January, but his hoax deaths have been plentiful. In 2014, an “R.I.P. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah” Facebook page garnered more than a million likes. Then weeks before his actual death, Twitter said he died again on January 7, causing the unexpected side effect of soaring oil prices. Whoops.
It’s not just deaths rumors Sabah tallied. Known as much for her love of song as her love of husbands, she married ten men in her lifetime, but magazines rumored of countless more over the years. And in a delightful combination of both famous rumors, Sabah dispelled a 2003 death rumor by showing up to an interview with 23-year-old Omar Mihio.
According to Arabic Twitter, Bashar al-Assad has been killed a bunch of times. The most recent example was just earlier this month, when a Tunisian website tweeted out an old YouTube video in which FSA rebels claimed the Syrian president had been shot in the head by a security guard. Problem was it was from 2013, and back then it was still untrue.
According to Arabic Twitter, Bashar al-Assad has been killed a bunch of times. The most recent example was just earlier this month, when a Tunisian website tweeted out an old YouTube video in which FSA rebels claimed the Syrian president had been shot in the head by a security guard. Problem was it was from 2013, and back then it was still untrue.
Daesh’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is another frequent guest on the Arabic rumor mill. Death reports have made their way all over the Internet since the group’s push into northern Iraq last summer. Radio Iran even said last month that the leader was dead in the Golan Heights at an Israeli hospital where he had been receiving treatment.
Daesh’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is another frequent guest on the Arabic rumor mill. Death reports have made their way all over the Internet since the group’s push into northern Iraq last summer. Radio Iran even said last month that the leader was dead in the Golan Heights at an Israeli hospital where he had been receiving treatment.
During the Jordanian pilot hostage crisis in Jordan earlier this year, local media agencies began tweeting that Jordanian authorities had already handed Sajida Rishawi over to sheiks in Iraq, essentially nullifying the possibility of a hostage exchange. Jordan was quick to shoot this one down, but it showed how easily a news rumor could spiral.
During the Jordanian pilot hostage crisis in Jordan earlier this year, local media agencies began tweeting that Jordanian authorities had already handed Sajida Rishawi over to sheiks in Iraq, essentially nullifying the possibility of a hostage exchange. Jordan was quick to shoot this one down, but it showed how easily a news rumor could spiral.
Kim Kardashian and Jordan — You guys remember this one. Kim Kardashian was supposed to pass into the Hashemite Kingdom after spending time in Jerusalem last month. Awaiting her arrival, young Jordanians tweeted and chatted, old ladies lamented on the radio. In the end though, she skipped the kingdom entirely.
Kim Kardashian and Jordan — You guys remember this one. Kim Kardashian was supposed to pass into the Hashemite Kingdom after spending time in Jerusalem last month. Awaiting her arrival, young Jordanians tweeted and chatted, old ladies lamented on the radio. In the end though, she skipped the kingdom entirely.
Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has been killed off a few times by Saudi airstrikes. Last month, Iranian website Al-Alam reported he and a top Houthi commander had been killed in a Saudi strike in Sanaa. Reddit asked for confirmation as Twitter lit up with the news. Hours later, it was “debunked” on the same Reddit thread.
Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has been killed off a few times by Saudi airstrikes. Last month, Iranian website Al-Alam reported he and a top Houthi commander had been killed in a Saudi strike in Sanaa. Reddit asked for confirmation as Twitter lit up with the news. Hours later, it was “debunked” on the same Reddit thread.
The late Saudi King Abdullah died in January, but his hoax deaths have been plentiful. In 2014, an “R.I.P. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah” Facebook page garnered more than a million likes. Then weeks before his actual death, Twitter said he died again on January 7, causing the unexpected side effect of soaring oil prices. Whoops.
The late Saudi King Abdullah died in January, but his hoax deaths have been plentiful. In 2014, an “R.I.P. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah” Facebook page garnered more than a million likes. Then weeks before his actual death, Twitter said he died again on January 7, causing the unexpected side effect of soaring oil prices. Whoops.
It’s not just deaths rumors Sabah tallied. Known as much for her love of song as her love of husbands, she married ten men in her lifetime, but magazines rumored of countless more over the years. And in a delightful combination of both famous rumors, Sabah dispelled a 2003 death rumor by showing up to an interview with 23-year-old Omar Mihio.
It’s not just deaths rumors Sabah tallied. Known as much for her love of song as her love of husbands, she married ten men in her lifetime, but magazines rumored of countless more over the years. And in a delightful combination of both famous rumors, Sabah dispelled a 2003 death rumor by showing up to an interview with 23-year-old Omar Mihio.

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