May 6, 2009
An Irish student’s fake quote on Wikipedia has been used in newspaper obituaries around the world.
Like putting a note in a bottle, Shane Fitzgerald, 22, a student studying sociology and economics at University College, Dublin wanted to see how far his fake quote would spread – on the Internet.
According to the Australian (7 May 2009) Fitzgerald created a plausible but fabricated quote, attributing it to Maurice Jarre (1924-2009).
The false quote read: “One could say my life itself has been one long soundtrack. Music was my life, music brought me to life, and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz playing in my head, that only I can hear.”
Fitzgerald posted the fake quote on Maurice Jarre’s Wikipedia page soon after the musician had died. It was then picked up in obituaries that appeared in newspapers, blogs and websites around the world.
Click here to read the complete story.
The Australian (7 May 2009)
