Tupac Alive Web Hoax Sends PBS Site Into Frenzy

1:16 PM PDT 5/30/2011 by Aaron Couch

0
0
0
0
0
Email
Print
Comments

Paramount

A group of hackers unhappy with a "Frontline" WikiLeaks documentary posted a fake story purporting that Tupac Shakur was still alive.

In response to a Frontline documentary on WikiLeaks, a group of internet hackers infiltrated PBS’ website Sunday, posting a false story that claimed Tupac Shakur was still alive and living in New Zealand.

'Tupac' Biopic Holding Online Auditions for Starring Role

Morgan Creek’s ‘Tupac’ Biopic to Begin Shooting This Summer

According to Poynter, the hackers disclosed the user IDs and passwords of PBS employees and defaced the PBS homepage. However, they did not alter the section of the site hosting the Frontline documentary.

The fake story about Shakur, who was slain in 1996, also said a still-living Biggie Smalls was housed in the same unnamed New Zealand town. Smalls was gunned down in 1997. The article stated that the diary of a recently murdered New Zealand man revealed that he had met Shakur still alive in New Zealand. It also said residence of the small town had kept Shakur a secret, respecting the rapper's privacy.

Google News indexed the story, and it was liked by around 3,000 people on Facebook. The NewsHour social media desk has since labored to dispel the story.