10 Stupid Internet Hoaxes That People Actually Believed
7. Shark Attacks Helicopter
This 2001 image appears to show a shark attacking a man dangling from a helicopter, and is frequently cited as one of the earliest examples of a hoax internet image. Often captioned with the title AND YOU THINK YOURE HAVING A BAD DAY AT WORK, the image claimed to have been taken during a military exercise, and chosen by National Geographic as Photo of the Year. A viral hit, the image was shared countless times via email and forums. Unfortunately, none of it was true. The helicopter photo was of the California National Guard unit, while the shark was from a completely separate photo by South African photographer Charles Maxwell. Of course, this was from before the days when photoshop became a household term, and contemporary internet users gobbled up the provocative image like there was no tomorrow.
This 2001 image appears to show a shark attacking a man dangling from a helicopter, and is frequently cited as one of the earliest examples of a hoax internet image. Often captioned with the title AND YOU THINK YOURE HAVING A BAD DAY AT WORK, the image claimed to have been taken during a military exercise, and chosen by National Geographic as Photo of the Year. A viral hit, the image was shared countless times via email and forums. Unfortunately, none of it was true. The helicopter photo was of the California National Guard unit, while the shark was from a completely separate photo by South African photographer Charles Maxwell. Of course, this was from before the days when photoshop became a household term, and contemporary internet users gobbled up the provocative image like there was no tomorrow.