Amy Bruce Strikes Facebook!

I remember back in '99 when a chain email appeared all over newsgroups and mailing lists proclaiming:

'Hi, my name is Amy Bruce. I am 7 years old, and I have severe lung cancer from second hand smoke. I also have a large tumor in my brain, from repeated beatings The doctors say I will die soon if this isn't fixed, and my family can't pay the bills. The Make A Wish Foundation, has agreed to donate 7 cents for every name on this list. For those of you who send this along, I thank you so much, but for those who don't send it, what goes around comes around. Have a Heart, please send this.'

Sad, but untrue I am afriad.

Now, however, it appears Miss Bruce is back and striking the hearts and minds of Facebook. Today my profiles 'notifications' were nearly all 'Bruce-centric', and struck me with a question: "why do people not do a quick google check?", surley this sad case would be hevily publised, especially when a huge charity entity such as the Make a Wish Foundation are involved? Personally I think it may be "...but for those who don't send it, what goes around comes around", a line loaded with sinister implications.

I was struck with a sense that although we apparantly live in the digital age, where an abundance of information is readily available via the internet, we still fear the most basic 'curses' and 'spells' allegedly exterminated by the industrial revolutions and modern mainstream religions.

for more information on Internet hoax's and 'net-lore' visit About.com's Urban Legend page.