Recently, the internet was struck with fear over concerns about a creepy haunted doll. There were many TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, and even YouTube Shorts showcasing the horrors of the world-famous Annabelle doll was on a world tour and had gone missing or escaped. Everywhere the doll went, buildings would catch on fire as she left a trail of destruction in her path, cursing those who came too close. In actuality, however, Annabelle never went missing, and she never left her comfy case in the Warren’s Occult Museum, Connecticut. Internet rumors like this one are used for views and/or to cause panic, and they can spread very rapidly.
False information has been present on the internet since its creation. For example, in 1994, a hoax email circulated that said Microsoft was buying the Roman Catholic Church. Or, during the pandemic, some people spread the false idea that COVID-19 caused autism. And now, the rumors about an escaped haunted doll that seeks to curse and harm anyone who encounters it. No matter how ridiculous these claims might seem, there will always be people who believe them. I believe the spread of this information is the fault of both sides of the screen, the creator and the viewer.
The creators of false information can take on many forms and have a variety of intentions. Some individuals may be internet trolls, purposefully posting misinformation to get a reaction, create chaos, or simply entertain themselves. Others might spread misinformation unintentionally, coming from misunderstandings or a lack of information. In both instances, these people choose to share their ideas online, making their content accessible to anyone at any time. By deciding to publish their thoughts, they decide the misinformation they produce is worthy of the public, regardless of the potential consequences. This decision concerns the sharing of information online and the responsibility that comes with it, as false information can quickly influence its audience.
Because we are on the topic, there’s a common misconception that those who believe misinformation are intellectually lacking or very gullible, but this is not true; anyone can believe misinformation. The viewer is in the most vital part of the spread, as they can spread it without even knowing the claims are false. People can see a post and share it with a friend or post a video about it, then someone else will see it and do the same, then another, causing a large ripple effect. People’s feeds become filled with whatever false information is currently being spread. Although it’s a very cliche and overused phrase, this is an important one that needs to be practiced more often: don’t believe everything you see on the internet. I fell into one of these internet traps when it came to Annabelle, I saw many videos of strong paranormal believers freaking out about the doll and i started to make a joke out of it, as I am not a believe of the paranormal. I didn’t realize that Annabelle had never left her home until researching ideas to write this story.
How the audience is affected and reacts to this information can also vary. Like in my case, I laughed when I saw Annabelle had escaped, but this can not be said the same for everybody.
Allie Eggleston, a sophomore at ADM, had a very different reaction when learning of the missing doll.
“When I first heard the rumor, I was home alone and coincidentally heard a loud band from outside. I later found out it was my dad coming home from work, and I literally jumped out of my seat on the couch and yelled ‘ANNABELLE’ and ran outside. I was ready to fight for my life, I don’t mess with haunted dolls.”
Eggleston did have a fearful reaction because she is more prone to believing in paranormal activities.
No matter the reaction or intention of misinformation, it is still false. It’s easy to come across misinformation and just as easy to spread it. So, before posting a reaction or sharing a video that contains information that might not be true, do your research.
