Huge American Film Studio, Spreading Hoaxes?
Last February 13, according to a report from BuzzFeed, a film entitled "A Cure For Wellness" is connected to five fake news websites and has been disseminating spoofs about vaccinations and other topics. The said film studio has been spreading fake news to gain attention and promote their film from the netizens.
Meanwhile, A Cure For Wellness is a movie about a Wall Street stockbroker who travels to a remote location in the Swiss Alps from a picturesque yet strange wellness center. Later on, the stockbroker sensed that something is not right and the treatments done in the wellness center is quite strange. He soon unriddles the horrible secrets in the wellness center when he too, experienced the same illness wherein everyone are also trying to find a cure.
In connection with this, the film studio has been circulating hoaxes to promote the film. In fact, one of the huge fake news the film studios has generated was the news about Lady Gaga's plans on performing a tribute during her Super bowl performance. The news about this has gained not less than 50,000 reactions from the netizens.
Further, through the news covered again by BuzzFeed, the five sites involved in the hoax are the following: Sacramento Dispatch, Salk Lake City Guardian, Houston Leader, NY Morning Post and Indianapolis Gazette. In addition, these sites have been using the same designs and Google Analytics ID implanted in their source code.
On the contrary, despite the plea for comments by several media outlets, filmmakers of the movie refused to give a statement regarding the issue. However, last Thursday, 20th Century Fox sent an affirmation to New York Times regarding the issue.
One representative from the company stated that their way of promoting was inappropriate at any cost and thereby apologized for their mistake.