The Olympic torch hoax

Just a couple of weeks ago, while reading up on digital virus in brand new iPods, I was reminded of stereotypes of creators of computer viruses. But all this virus talk reminded me of the popular belief that computer viruses are created by geeks and nerds who have nothing better to do. You know, as though computer viruses are actually juvenile pranks. But those who dare to look beyond mindless stereotyping have other theories. Some have been saying as early as five years ago that big businesses hired computer geniuses to create the damaging programs. Why? So that these businesses could profit from the antidotes otherwise known as anti-virus programs.

I am reminded of the same thing again after receiving yet another one of those forwarded e-mails alerting me not to open any e-mail with an attachment called “Invitation” because “it is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which ‘burns’ the whole hard disc C of your computer”, and urging me to pass it on to as many people as I can. You’d think it’s something new and a valid reason to get scared considering that it is Olympic season.

It is a hoax and it isn’t even new. In fact, it doesn’t even pertain to the Beijing Olympics but to the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Thing is, who would profit from hoaxes like that? Who would profit from chain mails, generally? Bandwidth is a resource, a rather expensive one, a prized one even in many poor countries. I don’t blame those who genuinely get scared and who feel they are doing their friends a great service by passing on messages like that. But chain mails have a source. There is always a point of origin. Who would consider it worth the time and trouble to resurrect an old hoax?

The only possible entities that can profit are internet providers. But since the current practice is to provide “unlimited use” to internet service subscribers, I don’t see how the endless forwarding of a hoax can be profitable. UNLESS it is meant to sell pre-paid dial-up internet cards. You know, just like telecom companies earn so much from those silly pass-this-on good morning quotes with the cute figures, the endless chain mails about miracles and even those predictions about earthquakes, floods and the end of the world.

The second possibility is more disturbing. Once upon a time, someone told me that many of these hoaxes are part of psychological studies. If you’ve heard about how the White Lady of Balete Drive was used by some Psych majors to complete their thesis, you’ll have better understanding.

There are many versions of this story. The one I first heard was that a group of Psych majors was writing a thesis and they intentionally circulated a new twist to the White Lady legend to find out 1) how the pubic would react and 2) how fast the new story would circulate and elevated to the status of urban legend.

Of course, it’s mean — using the public, without its consent, as guinea pigs in a possibly mind-damaging study especially considering how many of us Filipinos believe all these supernatural stories.

The third possibility is even more disturbing — many people simply have nothing better to do and their entertainment consists of passing on hoaxes.