An internet hoax has sent some Twitter users into meltdown, as rumours spread that the site would be closing in 2017.
In case there were any doubt: it’s not. Everyone seems to be panicking for no good reason.
It all started with a YouTuber who put in his Twitter bio that he was voted the “Most Controversial Youtuber of 2015”.
Word spread via fake accounts, and later legitimate ones, that he had single-handedly convinced Twitter to shut in 2017 because of abuse and cyberbullying. The next thing we knew, it was the top trend.
Welcome to conspiracy theories in 2016! Also, it’s silly season.
The reactions were split between people perhaps genuinely scared the site was going to shut down:
When u realise that if Twitter shuts down you will have to actually leave the house and talk to people #savetwitter pic.twitter.com/QBwoih5au9
— Ciara (@ciaraconway_) August 11, 2016
When you find out Twitter might be shut down 😤 #savetwitter pic.twitter.com/pdtmW1iSEz
— Henry Gallagher (@HenryGallagherx) August 11, 2016
we'll have to talk to people and make friends in real life #savetwitter pic.twitter.com/uAhLrIQHea
— maëlys (@wildperries) August 11, 2016
People wondering what on earth was going on:
When you're trying to find out what #SaveTwitter means but every tweet is "OMG WHAT'S HAPPENING #SaveTwitter" pic.twitter.com/dnHq4qDYYC
— H4rry (@H4rryYT) August 11, 2016
And those who were just making fun of it all:
Woah. #savetwitter pic.twitter.com/DZ8Hk60M4f
— Alan White (@aljwhite) August 11, 2016
Wait, did anyone else see this? #savetwitter pic.twitter.com/bHLfGgpxq4
— Fred Pye (@NoughtPointFour) August 11, 2016
If you’re familiar with the #SaveMarinaJoyce hashtag from a few weeks ago, you’ll recognise some of the same tropes appearing on Twitter.
It’s all for nothing though – we asked Twitter and they assured us there’s no truth to the claims whatsoever.
So there we are then. We can get on with our day.
