Hot postings may tell only half the truth

A VIDEO SHOWING a group of Chinese tourists frenziedly using plates to shovel up shrimps at a hotel buffet in Chiang Mai, Thailand, provoked much criticism for their behavior. The video was later confirmed to have been filmed and posted online about two years ago, and the true reason for their behavior was they had been given very little time to eat. Beijing Times comments:

The fundamental issue is how such old news could become such a hot topic.

One of the reasons is that as long as a message matches people's preconceptions, they will adopt it without hesitation and spread it even more widely. The message then substantially reinforces already existing prejudices.