Two pranks promulgated by the same hoax news website have tricked number into believing that the US and UK drinking age will change from 21 to 25 in August.
The pranks were posted on the Sunday Times Daily, a fake news website that allows users to create their own stories.
“The legal age to consume alcohol is to rise to age 26, in August this year. ‘There are too many youngsters becoming parents as a result of alcohol consumption’ says Derrek, member of Parliament. The new law will be set in place mid August 2014,” one reads. It has a photo and URL indicating it’s from the BBC, but it’s a ruse.
Another fake story claims to be from ABC and is targeted for a US audience.
“As of August 2, 2014 legal age to drink wil be 25. There has been controversy whether 21 is too young to make decisions. Alot of citizens state at that age they are not mentally responsible to drink. So the legislation at the White House has come to an agreement to have legal age changed to 25,” that one reads.
Each post has several million views.
As of Monday, social media users were talking about the two hoaxes.
“Dental hygienist told me they were raising the drinking age to 25. Panic ensued. Sources were checked. It was a false story. You’re welcome,” one person wrote.
Added another, “Is the minimum drinking age really being raised to 25!?!?!?!”
Another wrote: “So they raising the legal drinking age to 25 as of 08/02/14 bet I still be drinking at 22.”
Said another user, “Jesus people, the drinking age is not getting raised to 25. Do some research and stop believing everything you see on Facebook/Twitter.”
