Finally got my mom to stop sharing that 'missing child' post from 2017

It was that one with the blurry picture of a kid in a blue coat that gets shared every fall. I sat her down last week and showed her the Snopes article from 2018 that confirmed the kid was found safe the same day the photo was taken. I pointed out the date on the original post and how the phone number listed was disconnected. It matters because these old posts clog up local groups and waste police time. She finally gets it now and even told her book club. Has anyone else had success debunking a specific, repeat hoax for their family?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_parker1mo ago

Getting your mom to tell her book club is a huge win.

thomas4411mo ago

Honestly, that's the real target audience right there. Moms and book clubs move serious units. My aunt's whole neighborhood read a book because one person mentioned it over coffee. That kind of word of mouth is pure gold. Nothing beats a personal recommendation from someone people trust.

jenkins.elizabeth1mo ago

Totally see that with movies and restaurants too. My friend's mom told three people about a new pizza place, and now there's a line out the door every Friday. It's like a quiet network that just works.

fionam112d ago

Twenty years ago my Mum was in a book club that had twelve women in it. Every single one of them bought the same cookbook because someone's sister-in-law swore by it. @jenkins.elizabeth you're spot on about that quiet network. Tbh that kind of trust builds slowly but it sticks around way longer than any ad campaign. I think people underestimate how much those everyday conversations shape what we actually buy and read. It's like a slow burn that just keeps spreading without anyone even trying.