Ebola Has Broken Out in an Alaskan School?

On 14 October 2014, the Anchorage School District (ASD) fell victim to a convincing hoax on social media sites that reported a possible Ebola outbreak. Images of tweets appearing to originate from the ASD account stated Ebola had been found at high schools in Anchorage, but the images were fakes.

In a tweet sent before noon, an anonymous Twitter included a picture of what looked like an ASD tweet:

Under standard circumstances, the Ebola hoax in Alaska might not have gained traction. However, the tweets circulated alongside legitimate emerging reports of a confirmed Ebola infection in another state. Uncertainty was rife, and the Alaska Ebola hoax spread like wildfire.

ASD explained the fake tweets were facilitated by image manipulation software and added its website had not been compromised:

ASD spokesperson Heather Roach reassured parents and students no Ebola threat was present at East High:

Roach also stated she didn't believe the Ebola hoax would lead to serious consequences but was unsure whether the tweets constituted a specific threat:

However, Anita Shell of the Anchorage Police Department suggested the fake tweets could fall afoul of laws prohibiting "terroristic threatening":

Anchorage Police asked anyone with information on the hoax to contact the APD.

Last updated:   16 October 2014