How Social Media Nearly Burned Down Burj Khalifa

Just a few hours ago, a video appeared on YouTube that seemed to be showing smoke surrounding the upper part of Burj Khalifa. Indeed, we saw steam surrounding the towers too! But in the mentioned short clip, a background voice can be heard stating that the world’s tallest building is on fire. Even though the entire video is just 17 seconds long, it quickly took over other social media websites, generating tens of thousands of views and managed to stir confusion amongst UAE’s residents.

Luckily, the information in the video was incorrect. Dubai Police refuted the reports claiming Burj Khalifa was burning. According to authorities, the smoke is actually fog which has formed around the tower. Dubai Police officials also explained that such clouds were typical for the emirate during this time of the year. Later, Burj Khalifa’s official Twitter page also cleared the air stating that the smoke is “just fog.” In addition to that, it posted series of photos capturing the unusual, yet quite natural phenomenon.

This entire occurrence once again proved the power of social media as an information tool. It took just a couple of hours to make people believe that the world’s tallest building is on fire and nearly a day to convince them this was nothing more than a false piece of information.

Unfortunately, this is not the first such web hoax and it will certainly will not be the last one. Every now and then, a topic featuring “RIP” and the name of some Hollywood celebrity turn trending. Last year, one social media hoax almost “broke the internet.” Yes, we are referring to Kim Kardashian daring magazine cover photo. The photo itself did generate a lot of traffic. However, it almost broke the internet when it was posted next to the original unedited and unfiltered snap of the reality TV star.

History knows even more shocking social media pranks. One of them is The Blair Witch Project, which turned into the world’s best social media campaign. This low-budget film was initially shared on the web as real-life footage. At the end, however, it was revealed that it was nothing but a marketing move.

The bottom line is that social media is a powerful tool that is useful for generating marketing buzz. However, it power is also impossible to tame and when unattended it can burn down even the world’s tallest building. Therefore, make sure you use it and consume it with caution.