On Thursday, January 23, one of the biggest technology based magazines incorrectly reported that Apple CEO Steve Jobs from complications resulting from heart failure. Wired Magazine’s website (wired.com) was allegedly hacked into by pranksters who published false article on the website and proceeded to share the link to the site on social networking websites.
Although it appears as a simple hoax, the false article has caused quite a stir in the technology world. Even though it was only posted on the site for about two hours before being discovered as false, links to the article spread quickly and the false report was seen by thousands of online viewers.
The hoax is only the most recent in a long string of deceptive articles posted online claiming that the Apple CEO has died. As Jobs’ health has apparently been declining over the last few years, rumors have been spreading rapidly about the true health of the technology guru.
During this year’s MacWorld expo, many rumors surfaced online indicating that Jobs had died. Questioning the health of Apple’s chief, these rumors quickly turned into false reports that showed up on reputable websites, confusing the public even more. Mac Rumors, a website dedicated to Apple news, has been the victim of several hacking attempts over the past few months, several times posting that Jobs had died as a result of his recent health problems.
The impact of these false reports and hacking attempts has been costly for Apple. They must continually monitor online news media, and ensure that false reports are identified and removed promptly. Several times over the past year, false reports regarding Jobs’ health have led to significant decline in the price of Apple’s stock shares. On a few occasions, a feeling of panic and anxiety has swept over Apple shareholders, leading them to sell large portions of stock and drive the price per share down even further.
Thus, these hacking attempts spreading false rumors about Steve Jobs have been a tremendous nuisance to Apple executives and shareholders alike. Although they false reports aren’t indicative of the real health situation of Apple’s leaders, they have led many people to be concerned over the health and longevity of Jobs, and the future ramifications these reports could have are yet to be seen.
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