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Much of what you read on Twitter is a hoax: Study

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IANS New York

At least 25 percent of all the news that you get on Twitter is fake, says a new study. Also, the study found that 25 percent of all tweets sent are "not credible", Adweek.com reported.

For frequent Twitter users this might not come as a surprise. People post false information all the time for various reasons - some inadvertent, others deliberate - such as ignorance about a particular issue or if they are curious to know more about a subject.

Some people also have malicious intent to mess with people's heads. For example, researchers found that variations on a 2014 story about "Ebola zombies" were shared by millions despite being quite obviously fake.

 

And then there are all the rumours about celebrities, big brands and politicians that hit Twitter every minute.

The study appeared in The New Scientist.

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First Published: Jun 08 2015 | 2:54 PM IST

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