A recurring series of articles commenting on the phenomena of rumor and misinformation,
on the Internet. It is a feature of
Korova Multimedia's "e-v-mail" page. The
column was first published in late 1997.
What topics are discussed in the "Hoax du Jour?"
Most columns deal with virus hoaxes and 'Net rumors, including "cyberban legends."
Where else can I find information about hoaxes and 'Net rumors?
I list several great sites for further reading and researching on the
left column of each "Hoax du Jour" article, under "Other anti-hoax resources."
Does this site discuss unsolicited, commercial e-mail?
No, I generally don't investigate financial opportunities or "e-j-mail." I do discuss certain kinds of marketing scams that exploit the same gullibility that virus hoaxes and cyberban legends do. (The difference is that someone is using a hoax to make money, rather than just to create mischief.)
Who writes the "Hoax du Jour?"
David Spalding, the webmaster of Korova.com. You can read more about me on my
personal page.
Are you an authority on this stuff?
Not necessarily. I've been involved with the Internet on and off since 1982. I've written
professionally about online cultural trends and developments since around 1992. Some of my
investigative skills were honed as an intelligence specialist in the U.S. Coast Guard.
The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. And make no mistakes, they're
opinions, not gospel. Please remember to make up your own mind based on all
the information that I provide.
Why do you write it?
Good question! The aim of this column is to dispel misinformation and encourage
healthy skepticism among the Internet community. I'm also outraged
that members of the Internet community willfully generate hoaxes
and scarelore for mischievious purposes.
Do you write anything else?
Lots of stuff. Try some of the links at the bottom of each Korova.com page.
If you find the "Hoax du Jour" interesting, you should really read
my "e-v-mail" page.
Can you answer a question for me via e-mail?
Due to the volume of e-mail that I receive, I can't respond to every
message that is sent to me (sorry), but I do read all my e-mail.
Can you tell me if an e-mail I just got is a hoax?
I invite readers to send
me hoaxes/rumors that they receive, but I can't provide personalized answers.
Please review the index for
a similar hoax/rumor, or search on the sites listed in the left column,
under "Other anti-hoax resources." If you still need to ask me,
please accept that it may take me 10-20 business days to reply.
I got a message from my ISP
that my e-mail to you couldn't be delivered. Why?
I've recently had to change some mail addresses on my site due to excessive
"e-j-mail." Please use one of the e-mail the links on
these pages. You can review my contact page for more
information about e-mail to Korova.com.
Can I republish any of your columns?
All pages on Korova.com are copyrighted, all rights reserved. You can contact me if you're interested in one-time, serial rights or an interview. I do not
authorize any web sites to copy my pages, and reserve the right to take any action
necessary in the event that a site violates my copyright.
May I send one of your pages to a friend?
Please do not. I update these columns with new information on a regular basis, so
please send your friend the URL (http://...) instead. You'll find the direct
URL to each article at the top-left under "Public links to this
specific article."
I make this stipulation so that my own columns don't become
e-mail "forwardables," too!
This FAQ didn't answer my question....
Please e-mail me and let me know what this FAQ didn't answer for you. I'd like to keep it current. :)
