Despite their efforts to avoid the spotlight, celebrities are often dragged into stories that are conceived from fake news sources. In 2022, ExpressVPN researched the most popular celebrities associated with fake news stories. In this era of clickbait headlines and news accessibility, the hunt for viral information can come at a price.
Beyonce
Below, we look at the top five female celebrities that experienced a particularly newsworthy 2022. Some of these fake news article border absurdity, which is even more reason to check the source.
1. Beyonce
For years, the prolific singer has been the victim of fake news and various rumours. Perhaps one of ridiculous rumours is that both Beyonce and her rapper husband Jay-Z are members of the Illuminati. According to articles, the rumour was started after an Instagram commenter claimed that Beyonce comes from a long lineage of Italian Illuminati cultists.
One other ridiculous rumour also claimed that Beyonce faked her pregnancy when it looked like her belly had “deflated” as she was sitting down while doing an interview. The incident sparked rumours that her firstborn, Blue Ivy, was conceived through a surrogate instead. Fortunately, Beyonce put these rumours to rest in her Life Is But A Dream documentary, where she was filmed going to gynecologist appointments and more.
2. Shakira
While her recent divorce from international football star Gerard Piqué may have sparked various rumours, the Hips Don’t Lie singer has been the victim of fake news for decades. One bizarre rumour claimed that she and fellow singer Pitbull had prior knowledge about the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines flight.
Speculations started when conspiracy theorists found similarities in details of MH370’s disappearance and the lyrics in their song Get It Started.
In another instance, conspiracy theorists claimed that Shakira had died and was replaced by a Spanish woman named Cassandra Nova.
3. Rihanna
As a protege of rapper Jay-Z, Rihanna was also accused of being a member of the Illuminati. According to conspiracy theorists, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Rihanna are members of the secret society and are infiltrating the music industry the way the secret society did in the past.
The rumour was so popular that in 2018, a group of religious organisations in Senegal declared the Barbadian singer persona non grata and banned her from entering the country.
4. Taylor Swift
In 2017, a Reddit user in the r/conspiracy subreddit claimed that Swift had given birth to a snake, which was why she was taking a break from posting on social media. Conspiracy theorists were further convinced that this was the case when Swift started posting videos of snakes on Instagram.
5. Kim Kardashian
As one of the most famous people on the internet, Kim Kardashian has probably been associated with some of the most ridiculous rumours and types of fake news.
One such news revolves around whether her famous posterior is real. To disprove rumours that she had gotten butt implants or had modified her body in any way, the influencer voluntarily got her bottom x-rayed. In an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kim brought cameras with her to get her bottom scanned.
Still, several health professionals have refuted Kim’s claim that her butt is real, saying that x-rays don’t detect fat transfers, which is commonly done in Brazilian butt lifts.
Given the insane amount of fake news we’re bombarded with daily, it makes perfect sense why some people might believe certain rumours about different celebrities. However, it’s always worth fact-checking the source of these rumours to ensure you’re not falling for fake news.
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