To think the internet causes mass stupidity?

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

If something is said on the internet it suddenly becomes fact and silly thing go viral. Why? How on earth did this happen?

Latest, totally daft mind you, is a young woman who apparently 'discovered' after 19 years, that you are meant to take the plastic bit of earring safety backs. It's all over the web, totally viral and has now been in many articles and varying other forms of media. Everyone is now astonished at this revelation and realising they've 'been doing it wrong for years' and will now 'do it right'.

BUT, you aren't meant to remove it, it's a safety/comfort back for a reason. It's is there for safety, security and comfort for heavier fronts or widened ear holes. But nope, someone on twitter said so and therefore it's fact. It's like the hair grip all over again!

Anyone else find it totally crazy that one persons comment can be taken so far and taken as fact? What other ones have you seen?

[whothehellknows]

Wait, what about the hair grips? Am I doing that wrong?

[poorbuthappy]

If they are meant to be there why doesn't every pair have them?

[Ilovecrapcrafts]

I hate the warnings about imaginary crimes particularly false child snatchings and racist ones.

[Passmethecrisps]

Drinking Bottles of water left in cars causing breast cancer.

Typing your pin in back to front means the police will come to your aid as it is a secret code

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

who you are likely doing nothing wrong. It once went viral that we'd all been putting them in upside down. Clearly wrong as they would thenbe poking in.

poor depends largely on the weight of the front of the earring. If it's heavy and unbalanced it can droop or pull through a lot easier.

I hate the warnings too Ilove and the scaremongering ones, the latest being about tax credits. The panic caused after the election this year with a petition about Michael Gove 'wanting to start cutting TA's' was rather amusing really, given he left the education department last year and is now Minister of Justice!!! I'm all for Gove being put down, but at least let it be for something he is actually trying to do!!!!

[HoneyDragon]

Plastic bit? Earrings?whassit then? am I buying the wrong type of earrings?

[DadfromUncle]

These stupid tales have always been around - the Internet just allows more stupid people to find them and pass them on.

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

LOL only on certain earrings HoneyDragon Ah, it even made it to the Daily Fail! www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3184828/Are-wearing-earrings-wrong-Debate-studs-sweeps-Facebook-user-claims-taking-plastic-backs-OFF.html

BUT, it I tweet that HoneyDragon is wearing the wrong earrings, you may well have to world pestering you and you'll have to succumb to the the fact that you are. Is that ok?

[FitzgeraldProtagonist]

Social media give a forum to stupid people without a voice anywhere else

[feckitall]

Unfortunately the Internet just allows numpties to contact other numpties..that and our risk adverse society means natural selection isn't working properly.

[Anniesaunt]

The Internet does not cause stupidity. It just makes it easier to spot.

[ilovesooty]

Annie beat me to it. There have always been stupid people. The internet and social media simply mean we see a wider variety of them.

[hiddenhome]

I found ds2 on YouTube watching Alien Abduction videos. He's now convinced it's a real thing and that dozens of Americans are kidnapped and vivisected in alien spaceships

I blame the parents.

[littlefrenchonion]

YANBU at all, I also hate the 'true' stories that people blindly share that have clearly been made up by a 15 year old in the summer holidays or the health 'facts' that have no evidence to back them up (usually commented on by sharer with: "omg didn't no this! ")

My least favourite of all though... minions. Urrgghhhhhhhh.

[feckitall]

All those warnings of child abduction from theme parks, car jacking, unmarked police cars etc..A quick Google shows they are hoax. ..but the numpties blindly believe and share...

[Sandbrook]

Quickly becoming my biggest peeve so you are nbu.
I read an article a few months back about all the sharing of "MISSING KIDS" posters.
People blindly sharing without checking first can result in women's refuge inhabitants and their children being found following court orders/barring orders.

[Etak15]

I've never had any earrings with plastic on like that? I've had some cheapy ones that have had a little plastic Tube thing on - I though that was to just hold then onto the card?

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

plastic tubes are for keeping them on the card Etak :)

That's a fair point Sand

[Passmethecrisps]

I feel the same sand.

Someone on my feed was sharing a post from a woman who wanted to trace her child who had been adopted. But the child was only 10! With No concept of the damage which could be done to the child at all there were many people sharing and posting about how she should be reunited with her baby to make her family again.

[Etak15]

Oh good glad I'm doing it right
So what's the hair grip thing?

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

Hair grips - michellephan.com/quick-tip-the-right-way-to-use-bobby-pins/

[Sandbrook]

Facebook needs a "scaremongering bullshit" button

[tvlover1234]

Trip trap. The grips are true. I studied hairdressing and did for a number of years. The grooves should face down. Try it they actually stay in your hair much better :-)

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

I've tried! There was huge argument over it at the time, still is now as it still gets passed around as 'amazing new discovery' and it's even debated among hairdressers. It's quite funny the excitement such a thing causes.

However, if they are meant to be wavy side down, why are decorated ones decorated on the wavy side?

[Sandbrook]

Good point Trip