ORIGINAL PRANKSTER
Every year I’m a little wary on April 1. I don’t expect to be pranked; it’s never happened before and to be honest, I don’t think anyone I know could be bothered...
Other than my search engine that is.
After ten years of April Fools Day jokes, Google did not disappoint in 2011 with their ‘new development’ in email services. Gmail Motion fooled thousands around the world into dancing and signalling away their email replies.
If it’s on the internet, it’s right...right?
When addressing the 2008 Digital Economy Forum in Melbourne, Intel Director of User Experience Genevieve Bell acknowledged technology’s ability to fuel consumers’ lies and secret keeping practices.
Bell presented the statistic that “sixty percent of (people) in the room (had) lied about (their) whereabouts using (their) mobile phone in the last six months”.
SIXTY PERCENT? That’s a bit much isn’t it?
But think about all of those hacked status updates, fake facebook check-ins and let’s face it, Wikipedia in general.
The lies and falsehoods are just too easy to upload and subsequently disown.
“The greater the distance to potential victims, the more readily will people inflict harm that they would refrain from in face-to-face situations” (Hamelink 2006; 117).
So, can we stop the lies?
It is impossible to control people lying in real life and it seems even harder in the online world where users can simply disconnect from their actions.
Just like we would in face-to-face situations, it is up to individuals to decide what online content to believe and reject.
Every time we sign in, we have the choice whether or not to play the April Fool.
FURTHER READING:
Google April Fools Day pranks- Article.
REFERENCES:
Bell, G. (2008). "Digital Economy Forum: Presentation by Dr Genevieve Bell (Intel)." YouTube Video, posted April 28. Accessed 11 April, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE6QWUKIP5M
Hamelink, C. (2006). The Ethics of the Internet: Can we cope with lies and deceit on the net? In Ideologies of the Internet. K Sarikakis & Daya Thussu. New Jersey: Hampton Press.