The media descended upon a couple of guys carrying boxes at Twitter headquarters. Only problem, they were actors.
October 30, 2022

With Elon Musk promising mass layoffs at Twitter after acquiring the social media platform, a couple of guys decided some performance art was in order for the media assembled outside Twitter headquarters in San Francisco.

One of them had the disgruntled woke ex-employee role down pat. "You know if free speech is nazis saying trans women can't use women's bathrooms then good luck to them."

Source: New York Post

A pair of pranksters posing as laid-off Twitter employees tricked multiple media outlets Friday as the public anxiously awaited news on whether Elon Musk had begun axing staffers.

CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa interviewed two people who identified themselves as Twitter employees and were seen near the company’s San Francisco headquarters carrying cardboard boxes.

Skepticism immediately emerged on social media. One of the pranksters said his name was “Rahul Ligma” — a reference to a popular internet meme — and held a copy of Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming” aloft while speaking to reporters. The other said his name was “Daniel Johnson.”

CNBC, Bloomberg, the Daily Mail and NBC were among the outlets that reported layoffs were underway after the duo spoke to the media.

CNBC's Deirdre Bosa was taken in.

Can you help us out?

For nearly 20 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon