As if the false rumors that "Hoaxer" fed to Android and Me weren't enough, Taylor Wimberly, the writer who originally published the rumors, threw his own weight behind them, claiming that the source in question had leaked reliable information to him in the past, which is obviously not the case. Conveniently, the original article has been retracted, thus removing the deceptive "this source has a reliable track record" statement. This was one of the main reasons that other Android news sites (including us) passed these rumors along. While "Hoaxer" may have won the Troll of the Year award for 2012, the deliberate deception by a fellow news writer is inexcusable.
Here's an excerpt from Android Police demonstrating how a news writer's deceptive remarks can give false rumors much greater weight:
That's right, we're finally jumping on the rumor train for the next Nexus phone(s?). Today, Android and Me published an article with a rather detailed rumor stemming from a "regular source who has provided accurate information in the past." Given their confidence, and the specificity of their assertions, we're inclined to put some stock in them.
- Android Police, on why the false rumors published by Android and Me seemed credible enough to pass along
Android Authority and Phandroid also considered the rumors worth passing along based on Wimberly's credibility as a reporter.
Here's an excerpt from "Hoaxer's" post that really says it all (the full post is quoted at the end of this article):
I am sorry that I am a cheap liar and I am sorry for everyone who was fooled - except for Taylor Wimberly, who himself has lied to all of you. Every blog I made contact with passed the test and refused to publish these fabricated rumours. Taylor Wimberly was the only one who not only took the bait but added another layer of untruth to it in order to make the rumour more believable. He has said that I am a longtime source of his, but this not true ( see the whole exchange at the bottom of this post). If he hadn’t done that I would apologize, but there is no shame in fooling another liar.
- Hoaxer, on Taylor Wimberly's deception
As I pointed out in May of this year, the constant pressure exerted by rumor-hungry Android enthusiasts often leads to unreliable tips being published. What I had not considered in that previous editorial is how this unrelenting pressure can lead news writers to resort to even more desperate measures. The rumor mill gets much nastier when a news writer purposely deceives his readers and other Android news outlets in order to enhance his stature in the Android blogosphere and/or rake in more advertising dollars for his site.
Media outlets, under intense pressure to leak the latest stories hours or even minutes before everyone else, have begun to publish stories based on unconfirmed reports from unreliable sources. Their eagerness to be the first to break a new story has even caused some of the more established news services to frequently publish “leaks” that later turn out to be false. Leaks in general are usually unreliable, and some are outright fantasies, and it is certainly unrealistic to expect any news service to be accurate all of the time. Lately, however, the frequency of erroneous tips has skyrocketed.Opportunistic “industry insiders” and “leading experts in the field” are clamoring for their few minutes of fame, and “anonymous sources” and “undisclosed company officials” are clamoring for a feeling of self-importance when their leaks are publicized practically verbatim. As if these weren’t enough to contaminate the news pool, companies themselves are using deliberate leaks to manipulate public opinion in hopes of maximizing their “wow factor” and, consequently, their profits. Desperation can put even some of the leading news services at the mercy of these manipulators.
- Editorial from May 2012, on the unrelenting pressure to break the latest news before anyone else
At this point, I must wonder what would have happened had "Hoaxer" not come forward when he did. Fortunately, his craving for attention wasn't satisfied with seeing his deception being spread throughout the Android blogosphere - he had to draw additional attention to himself by coming clean. Still, what if he had waited until after Google and LG announced their Nexus device and it became clear that there would be no "customization centre"? The Android blogosphere would have even more egg on its collective face, and the deliberate deception by a fellow reporter would have been that much more vile.
The saddest part, though, is that there are many readers out there who read about the original rumors but might miss the articles that exposed the deception. They will no doubt suffer a great deal of disappointment had any of the false rumors appealed to them, and they will call for the heads of everyone who posted these rumors, not just the one reporter who threw his own credibility behind the "leaks." Actually, many will go so far as to blame Google, even though one of its own employees succinctly rated these rumors with a "LOL."
As our illustrious Editor-in-Chief pointed out to me in conversation, rumors in the Apple community get released with fewer repercussions, because those who are anxious for the latest about all things Apple feel their product is superior no matter what. It's mainly the Android fanatics that point gleefully and laugh when the specs disappoint, or when the next iPhone is rolling out "new" features that Android phones have had for years, or when a new mapping feature tells Apple owners to drive their car over a bridge from a Salvador Dali painting. When Android rumors turn out to be false, however, the feeling is one of betrayal, as if we all root for the Cavaliers and Google just decided to take its talents to South Beach.
