[karajorma]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8568762.stm

So the basic story goes like this. Georgian TV station with links to the government decide to show a hyper-realistic fake news report about the assassination of the president followed by a take over by the opposition parties leading to an invasion by Russian forces.

The result was that people who missed the warning at the start of the broadcast thought it was real and jammed mobile phone networks (causing them to fall over, making the story seem even more realistic). The result was general panic over the situation and a really large backlash against the TV company that started this all.



And I'll bet it seemed like such a good idea at the time.

   

[TrashMan]

And it could have all been avoided by red flashing letters on the screen (saying *THIS IS ALL A ACT*) during the whole thing....

[Bobboau]

there aren't other stations in Georga? my first reaction to seeing a report of fox news about islamofascists taking over the white house in there steampunk airship would be to see if CNN had anything to say about it.

nb4waroftheworlds

[headdie]

This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio

[Kosh]

This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio

Too bad there wasn't a real alien invasion.

[Titan]

This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio

Too bad there wasn't a real alien invasion.

No, just communists.

Oh, wait. No.

[TESLA]

Really stupid idea. Esp, when you were at war with that nation two years ago!!

Common sense is so rare these days it should be a superpower

[BloodEagle]

This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio

Too bad there wasn't a real alien invasion.

That's what they want you to think. 

[JCDNWarrior]

Ask me, I believe, that everything on TV, no matter what program, is, obviously, pre-programmed, but also fully fake. Even the news, being only a representation of the state of the world summed up in 5-15 minutes is... at best, short sighted.

This particular event mentioned by the OP was a very elaborate experiment. Georgia wants to be in the EU very badly, and tries to keep pushing the Russians into attacking them, so they can allow the UN Peacekeepers in the country. Crazy Georgians...

Just remember, if Georgia can do this, your own government can too. Probably much 'better', too.

[headdie]

Be interesting to see what would happen if something like the georgian experiment happened in a country where civilian gun ownership is legal and prices allow mass ownership

[Nemesis6]

The Georgian government, for its part, has denied that it played a role, but on Sunday Mr Saakashvili appeared to defend it, saying the televised scenario was "extremely close to what can happen and to what Georgia's enemy has conceived".

Mikheil, have you forgotten that you yourself actually caused this to happen once?  
It's kind of interesting how the politicians who worry about things like this are the ones with no qualm about shooting artillery at innocent civilians. Oh well, that's politics in the crazy third-world for ya.

[Bobboau]

Be interesting to see what would happen if something like the georgian experiment happened in a country where civilian gun ownership is legal and prices allow mass ownership

you mean like when the war of the worlds thing happened to America all those years ago when there were zero gun control laws.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

Heh, this reminds me of a stunt the Belgian (Walloon) telly pulled off once...