Internet Anonymity Is Why Bogus Roller-Coaster-Collapse Stories Can Happen

We can hide on the Internet. That's why you see so many nasty comments about this or that on Twitter. Because those who make such comments don't have to give their names.

Of course, I've never understood what impact one hopes to have if he or she doesn't let the intended "victim" know who's leveling vicious words. Oh well, I guess that's what you call cowardice.

I say all that to set up this:

Empire News, a satirical website, posted a story about a roller coaster tragedy at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville. It said that 17 people had been killed and 33 injured.

Horrific stuff. Except that it wasn't true.

And Empire posts a disclaimer saying it shouldn't be taken seriously. But our collective attention spans have diminished with the advent of extraordinary technological advances, so not spotting something tucked away in a little corner of a web page is to be expected.

So, then, is the fact that the story got tons of "likes" and shares on Facebook.

And, just like that, it was perceived to be true.

Pretty disgraceful stuff, if you ask me. Hey, I get satire. I like satire. But a fake story of THAT nature?!?

Come on.

Look, I've seen some of the fake articles on Empire, and many of them are funny or clever or both.

But with regards to the roller coaster piece, I don't believe for one second Empire News didn't know EXACTLY what would happen.