Guide
How to spot fake hype online without becoming paranoid
A media-literacy guide to sudden consensus, repeated phrases, campaign signals, and suspiciously polished enthusiasm.
Real excitement is usually messier
Organic hype tends to have mixed language, uneven timing, and people enjoying the thing in different ways. Manufactured-looking hype often arrives suddenly, repeats the same phrases, and sounds oddly briefed.
Look for coordination signals
Identical wording, brand-new accounts, the same links, unexplained funding, and instant outrage are not proof by themselves. Together, they are reasons to slow down before amplifying.
Suspicion is not a conclusion
A detector can help you withhold trust, but it should not become a machine for accusing strangers. Treat the pattern as evidence to inspect, not a verdict on intent.