In keeping with AJ and Stephanie’s posts about April Fools Day Pranks, a blogging, magazine and online guru reminds us about how not to be the victim to online tomfoolery. Each year, online mischief makers work tirelessly to break big fake stories, wikipedia even dedicates a page to pranks which faux news are sent into the masses.

Rex Hammock warns that sometimes the news looks convincingly real and isn’t. He also cites that the news that is real might look fake.

The Onion, which is an example Hammock uses, is wonderful at fake news and although it’s biting, is not malicious. He also advises entrepreneurs to hold off a couple of days before launching a product to be taken more seriously. Which bring us to the story of the man, who used to be a woman, claiming to be pregnant.

A story PopFi reported on recently about Thomas Beatie is being questioned in news reports this morning regarding a “pregnant man” because a news conference is scheduled for tomorrow. Some Internet news outlets are wondering if the timing of the press conference on April Fool’s Day is indicative of a possible hoax.

Be careful out there.

[tags] Thomas Beatie, Pregnant man, April Fools Day Hoaxes, Rex Hammock /[tags]

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