Strap yourselves in folks, one of the political stories of the century is brewing...
1. A concerned mother shares a photo of her 4-year-old boy who was forced to wait hours on a hospital floor with suspected pneumonia.
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1. A concerned mother shares a photo of her 4-year-old boy who was forced to wait hours on a hospital floor with suspected pneumonia.
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2. A journalist challenges Boris Johnson about the story by showing him the picture of the boy on his phone.
3. Johnson repeatedly refuses to even look at the boy, let alone acknowledge responsibility, and eventually snatches the phone and puts it in his pocket.
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3. Johnson repeatedly refuses to even look at the boy, let alone acknowledge responsibility, and eventually snatches the phone and puts it in his pocket.
2/10
4. There is uproar about Johnson's lack of compassion so Health Minister, Matt Hancock, is dispatched to the hospital to deal with the situation.
5. Matt Hancock briefs journalists that, while at the hospital, one of his advisors was "punched" by a Labour activist.
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5. Matt Hancock briefs journalists that, while at the hospital, one of his advisors was "punched" by a Labour activist.
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6. Senior media figures unquestioningly report the "punch" by the "Labour activist" as fact without checking validity. Widespread rage about "violent Labour activists" spreads like wildfire online.
7. Video footage emerges showing the story had been entirely fabricated.
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7. Video footage emerges showing the story had been entirely fabricated.
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8. The media figures sheepishly backtrack on what they have posted out.
9. A Facebook post appears from a "good friend" of a nurse working in Leeds hospital. The post claims the photo of the 4-year-old was faked by a "Labour activist". The post is shared 30,000 times.
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9. A Facebook post appears from a "good friend" of a nurse working in Leeds hospital. The post claims the photo of the 4-year-old was faked by a "Labour activist". The post is shared 30,000 times.
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10. The claim is unquestioning reported as fact by much of the media without checking its validity.
11. Suspicions of validity are raised as it is discovered there are literally thousands of Facebook and Twitter accounts posting exactly the same claim, word for word.
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11. Suspicions of validity are raised as it is discovered there are literally thousands of Facebook and Twitter accounts posting exactly the same claim, word for word.
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12. It becomes clear that bots are being used to spread disinformation. The hospital also confirms the accuracy of the photo and that it had already apologised to the mother.
13. The media figures sheepishly backtrack on what they have posted out.
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13. The media figures sheepishly backtrack on what they have posted out.
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14. The account where the post originated then came into question. It belongs to a (real) woman named Sheree Jenner-Hepburn who claims her account has "hacked".
15. Further investigation shows that Sheree was not the innocent victim of a hack, and the post was intentional.
8/10
15. Further investigation shows that Sheree was not the innocent victim of a hack, and the post was intentional.
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16. It's then discovered that Sheree Jenner-Hepburn's son has a Facebook friend with a very prominent role within this story which may cast light on the motives behind the fake post.
17. It's… Matt Hancock's account!!!
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17. It's… Matt Hancock's account!!!
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In summary: It appears the Government's Health Minister has not only fabricated a "punch" to deflect heat from his boss, but after being found out, he *may* have used a friend's Facebook account to circulate another fabricated story to smear his political opponents.
10/10
10/10
