It was all a hoax, but the internet rumors that Bindi Irwin had passed away gave fans a good scare. It turns out it was a technological hiccup in trending news.
While her father passed away in 2006, Bindi Irwin is alive and well. However, many internet users who follow news trends were shocked to read the headlines this week that the 14-year-old daughter of the wildlife expert Steve Irwin had also died.
The death hoax was a complete accident after internet aggregators combined trending terms with older news. Instead of typing in “Bindi Irwin,” many online users typed in “Steve Irwin’s daughter” which created a hiccup that combined her name with her father’s death. The hoax has been trending for the last two days.
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The young conservationist has generated a lot of interest this year since she had a bit of a spat with Hillary Clinton about an essay she wrote on overpopulation for the former First Lady’s e-journal. The piece was heavily edited and Irwin asked that the article not run if her entire opinion could not be heard.
The passionate teen has also dabbled in acting. She starred in Return to Nim’s Island, which was released in the early spring.
Irwin has continued her father’s legacy by working at the Australia Zoo and educating audiences about wildlife and conservation. The Crocodile Hunter host was killed in an accident with a stingray while shooting a documentary for the Discovery Kids channel.
In a recent press conference, Bindi Irwin shared, “We literally live right in the middle of the Australia Zoo, and that is really wonderful in itself. But it’s also great because anyone who comes to visit us gets to experience a family of animals and keepers, and really take something with them. They end up having a greater appreciation of wildlife — and that’s what it’s all about, for me.”
Image courtesy of WENN
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