APSocial media is a wonderful tool for spreading the news, just don’t believe everything you read on there.
When the news broke that infamous drug lord El Chapo had escaped from prison again, Twitter went into overdrive with reactions ranging from amusement to outrage that he’d somehow managed to pull off another disappearing act.
Fortunately, El Chapo hasn’t escaped and the story that he was on the lam once again was about as accurate as a drunken darts player after a particularly heavy night on the town.
ABC NewsThe rumour was started by a website who put an awful lot of effort into looking like the ABC News website and managed to convince an awful lot of people that Guzman had once again pulled a Houdini.
Naturally, we’ve done our civic responsibility and catalogued the internet’s naivety for all to enjoy…
Can't believe El Chapo escaped again. ???????
— Julissa mf Silva (@jujubean_98) January 22, 2016
Unfreakin real: Drug Kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman Escapes Mexican Prison Once Again – ABC News https://t.co/DKPd6sic3a
— Jim Starowicz (@jimstaro) January 31, 2016
El chapo escaped again ? Lol it hasn't even been like a week since they caught him ?
— ? (@marie_mija) January 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/Muanitaa/status/690332564016533507
El Chapo escaped from a highly secured prison twice and some of you can't even escape a friend zone.
— Daroyalgaganess (@DaRoyalGaganess) February 1, 2016
El Chapo has escaped once again proving himself as unstoppable as a Kardashian
— Jeff Dwoskin (@bigmacher) January 31, 2016
If El chapo goes to hell he would probably escape.
— Suleiman Tijani (@KING_TJB) January 31, 2016
El Chapo be breaking outta jail like he's The Joker at Arkham Asylum
— Deion of House Stark (@DeionGottaSTFU) January 31, 2016
BREAKING NEWS!: El Chapo has escaped from police custody and is on the loose near The Colony, TX pic.twitter.com/mzjHVB8YGd
— Грейсон (@_grayson____) January 27, 2016
Thankfully, there were a few voices of reason in the Twittersphere…
El Chapo didn't escape y'all. Just a fake site. But it's funny that we all thought it was plausible.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) January 31, 2016
El Chapo escaped?!
Does 10 seconds of research.
Oh no he didn't, but that won't stop every headline reader from saying its true for a bit.— Philip DeFranco (@PhillyD) January 31, 2016
So, don’t worry, El Chapo is still in the clink. But, given his past, we really wouldn’t put it past him for this story to actually come true pretty soon!
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.