Uproar over 'Chomsky Death' Reports

Yesterday, I was swayed by information about 'Chomsky's death'.

Noam Chomsky is 95 years old. He suffered a stroke last year and has been receiving treatment in Brazil, his wife's home country.

The American global intellectual who sparked the 'Chomsky Revolution' in 20th-century science is also one of the 'last great intellectuals,' alongside Germany's Habermas, known for his frequent political commentary.

The news that 'Chomsky is dead' spread across the world on X starting around 3:00 AM Japan time on the 19th (the night of the 18th in the West).

'Noam Chomsky' became a trending topic, and the timeline was flooded with 'RIP Chomsky' posts.

It was early morning in Japan, but several Japanese users were reporting Chomsky's death on X.

It seems that even the English Wikipedia entry for Chomsky was temporarily updated to include 'died in 2024'.

However, two hours later, information refuting this was released by sources like the AP, and by around 8:00 AM Japan time, it was settled as 'misinformation'.

'I am in Brazil now. Reliable sources are currently interviewing Chomsky's wife, Valeria. Including the 'Jacobin' magazine that first reported the misinformation. Chomsky is alive. It is astonishing how quickly the internet can bury a person based on a single unverified tweet.' (Pavel Vargen, 5:10 AM Japan time on the 19th)

I am in Brazil, where several trusted sources have now spoken with Noam Chomsky’s wife Valeria, including the editor of Jacobin Brasil. Chomsky is very much alive. It is breathtaking how quickly the internet buried a man over a single unverified tweet.

'Today's reports regarding Chomsky's death are far from the truth. I confirmed it with his wife, Valeria. He is alive and well.' (Steven Pinker, 5:35 AM Japan time on the 19th)

Reports today of Noam Chomsky's death (in Jacobin and New Statesman, since taken down) were greatly exaggerated. I have confirmation from Valeria, his wife, that he is alive and well.

'Noam Chomsky's wife, Valeria Wasserman Chomsky, said that reports that the famous linguist and activist had died are false.' (AP, 6:08 AM Japan time on the 19th)

Noam Chomsky’s wife, Valeria Wasserman Chomsky, says reports that the famed linguist and activist had died are untrue
By HILLEL ITALIE AP national writer
June 19, 2024, 6:08 AM

It seems that his "obituary" had been circulating on the internet for weeks at the level of individual posts.

The current uproar grew because the Brazilian political magazine "Jacobin" believed that false information and reported it incorrectly, followed by the British political magazine "New Statesman" publishing an "obituary" for Chomsky online.

The "New Statesman" article, in particular, gained credibility because it was written by the prominent Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis.

The "New Statesman" issued an apology post as follows.

"This evening, we published an article on Chomsky by Yanis Varoufakis, but that was a mistake. We apologize to Yanis and Chomsky's family for the error." (19th, 8:54 JST)

This evening, we published an appreciation of Noam Chomsky by Yanis Varoufakis. This was done in error, and we'd like to apologise to Yanis and the Chomsky family for the mistake.

This "obituary" by Yanis Varoufakis was a manuscript written regardless of whether Chomsky was alive or dead.

"A week ago, I was asked by the New Statesman to write a manuscript titled 'The Chomsky I Know.' Two days later, another magazine called Jacobin wrongly reported that Chomsky had died. Then, the New Statesman edited and published my manuscript as an obituary without my consent. Shortly after that, the editor-in-chief of the New Statesman issued an apology to me and Chomsky's family." (Yanis Varoufakis, 19th, 16:29 JST)

A week ago, the New Statesman asked me to write a piece on “the Chomsky I have come to know”. Two days later, Jacobin, another magazine, wrongly reported that Noam had passed. Without my knowledge or consent, the New Statesman edited & published my piece as an obituary. Immediately, the editor of the New Statesman issued an apology to me and to Noam’s family.

The media creates many "obituaries" for celebrities who are near death as pre-written drafts.

One of the lessons from this incident is likely, "Don't rush to publish them."

Meanwhile, "Jacobin," which first reported the false news, seems to have tried to cover it up by quietly rewriting the "obituary" as a general article.

'Jacobin preemptively reported Chomsky's death based on false information on Twitter, and then, instead of pulling the article, quietly rewrote the headline.' (June 19, 6:13 AM JST)

Leave it to @jacobin to preemptively publish an obit for Chomsky based on a false twitter rumor of his death, then rather than pull the piece, just quietly edit the headline. (The URL still says "obituary").

This incident showed how a single piece of incorrect information can lead to a major global misreport.

However, the so-called "print" old media did not report it incorrectly at all. This could be said to prove the reliability of old media, while simultaneously highlighting the vulnerability of being dependent on the internet.

Internet information is fast, but it is also suspicious.

As for the punchline, I think the following post was clever.

'Chomsky is continuing to prove his own theory that mass media cannot be trusted until the very end. As expected of a cunning linguist!'

Even at the end, he's proving his thesis, showing the unreliability of mass media! A cunning linguist!

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