PoliCon
02-23-2009, 03:42 PM
#7. The Five-Billion Dollar Steve Jobs Rumor
The Rumor:
Apple CEO Steve Jobs had a heart attack!
The Damage:
As soon as word hit the internet that Jobs had been rushed to the hospital with a failing heart, this happened to Apple stock:
In the first hour of trading the stock lost 10% of its value ($4.8 billion motherfucking dollars), spurred by panicked investors who apparently believe that Apple Computer Inc. is made up entirely of Steve Jobs working alone in his garage.
How It Got Started:
A teenager and a keyboard.
Authorities say the whole thing was just some random 18-year-old posting the rumor to CNN's iReport website, which boasts at the top of its page, "... The stories submitted by users are not edited, fact-checked or screened before they post."
CONTINUED (http://www.cracked.com/article_16869_7-bullshit-rumors-that-caused-real-world-catastrophes.html)
The Rumor:
Apple CEO Steve Jobs had a heart attack!
The Damage:
As soon as word hit the internet that Jobs had been rushed to the hospital with a failing heart, this happened to Apple stock:
In the first hour of trading the stock lost 10% of its value ($4.8 billion motherfucking dollars), spurred by panicked investors who apparently believe that Apple Computer Inc. is made up entirely of Steve Jobs working alone in his garage.
How It Got Started:
A teenager and a keyboard.
Authorities say the whole thing was just some random 18-year-old posting the rumor to CNN's iReport website, which boasts at the top of its page, "... The stories submitted by users are not edited, fact-checked or screened before they post."
CONTINUED (http://www.cracked.com/article_16869_7-bullshit-rumors-that-caused-real-world-catastrophes.html)