No, Jackie Chan didn’t die. But this Facebook death hoax fooled thousands
Jackie Chan is still alive despite a death hoax that's taken over Facebook.
The 71-year-old actor and martial artist was a trending topic on social media this week when a fake post about his passing went viral. The post featured an AI image of Chan hugging a stuffed panda bear from a hospital bed. It claimed he passed from complications due to years of on-set injuries.
According to Newsweek, Chan's representatives have not commented on the fake reports. Unfortunately, people seemed to believe the news even though no credible outlets reported on Chan's "death." The disturbing hoax also included a fake quote from a "close family friend" that claimed Chan's heart "couldn't take another stunt."
This isn't the first time false reports of Chan's death have appeared online. The "news" also spread back in 2015. Ten years later, hoaxes like this one are becoming more and more believable thanks to the improvement of AI. It's hard to imagine a future where these types of AI-related lies don't lead to lawsuits, especially from celebrities.
Fans react to the Jackie Chan death hoax
If you search "Jackie Chan" on Facebook, you will see countless posts claiming the actor has died. Comments on the posts range from corrections to messages of sympathy. While some have recanted the posts, others have left them up for the clicks. Meanwhile, people have taken to Twitter to set things straight.
It's becoming more common than ever for people to be tricked by AI. When it comes to any news story, always research to see who is reporting on the subject. People constantly make things up for clicks, which is making the internet harder to navigate.
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