Celeb fake news can sometimes be tricky to spot, especially when a large proportion of their fan base is under 13. “Did Taylor Swift get arrested” has been trending on Google recently. The concern follows a news report that the singer was busted for weapons trafficking.
Did Taylor Swift get arrested? No, but some fans are worried…
A video posted to Instagram alleged that Taylor was 13 counts of criminal weapons trafficking. The fake news report also stated the singer had “branded a semi-automatic submachine gun” and is “known as TayTay on the street.”
The funny video was actually the work of satirical website The Onion. For reference, the publication’s other recent posts include faux headlines like “Stephen Miller’s Forehead Vein Lunges Out To Catch Passing Bird” and “US Responds to Rising Sea Levels by Patting East Coast with Towels.”
While the fake news report wasn’t exactly convincing to those of us who’ve been on the internet since it was dial-up, it did a good enough job to have fans flocking to Google for clarification.
The video was actually a repost of one originally shared by the website in November last year. Thankfully, most people in the comments were in on the joke. One person wrote: “Women in male dominated fields! Go off, queen!”
Another added: “Everyone needs a side hustle.”
This isn’t the first time Taylor’s fans have got caught up in fake news. During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, former President Donald Trump shared AI-generated images that falsely suggested Taylor Swift had endorsed him.
One thing that definitely isn’t fake news is Taylor’s engagement to NFL player Travis Kelce. Although sources suggest not everyone is happy about the buzz around it. Pal Selena Gomez is apparently not impressed with Taylor stealing her thunder.
TELL US – WOULD THE FAKE NEWS REPORT HAVE FOOLED YOU?
