This tweet from the Associated Press caused some alarm Tuesday, just a week after the Boston Marathon bombings.
But right away, it was pretty clear the news was fake.
from here in the WH basement, this acct seems hacked RT @AP: Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured
from here in the WH basement, this acct seems hacked RT @AP: Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured-- E McMorris-Santoro
The @AP account was suspended within a few minutes.
And then this happened.
Here's the #Dow in the 3min following the erroneous @AP tweet re: White House explosions. http://t.co/OZRA6CyhO3
Here's the #Dow in the 3min following the erroneous @AP tweet re: White House explosions. http://t.co/OZRA6CyhO3-- Kayla Tausche
Other Associated Press accounts tried to do damage control...
That is a bogus @AP tweet.
That is a bogus @AP tweet.-- AP CorpComm
The (at)AP twitter account has been hacked. A tweet about an attack at the White House is false. We will advise on acct. status.
The (at)AP twitter account has been hacked. A tweet about an attack at the White House is false. We will advise on acct. status.-- AP Stylebook
But everyone made the same joke anyway.
Did you hack AP? AP would like to talk to you for a story.
Did you hack AP? AP would like to talk to you for a story.-- Andrew Kaczynski
have you hacked the AP twitter feed? AP would like to speak to you....
have you hacked the AP twitter feed? AP would like to speak to you....-- Tim Dickinson
Did you hack the Associated Press' Twitter account? @AP would like to speak with you for a story.
Did you hack the Associated Press' Twitter account? @AP would like to speak with you for a story.-- Jordan Fifer
Did you just hack @AP's Twitter account? The @AP would like to hear from you!
Did you just hack @AP's Twitter account? The @AP would like to hear from you!-- Brian Beutler
Do you know how to change your Twitter password? The @AP would like to speak with you for a story. Yeah, "a story," that's it.
Do you know how to change your Twitter password? The @AP would like to speak with you for a story. Yeah, "a story," that's it.-- delrayser
Did you hack AP? AP would like to talk to you for a story.
Did you hack AP? AP would like to talk to you for a story.-- Carly O'Shaughnessy
Has your twitter account been hacked? @AP would like to talk to you about making repetitive jokes.
Has your twitter account been hacked? @AP would like to talk to you about making repetitive jokes.-- Ross Neumann
(H/T to Dan Amira for some of the last few tweets.)
UPDATE: Could this be what led to the hacking?
The @AP hack came less than an hour after some of us received an impressively disguised phishing email.
The @AP hack came less than an hour after some of us received an impressively disguised phishing email.-- Mike Baker
UPDATE 2: The "Syrian Electronic Army" has taken credit for the hack.
Ops! @AP get owned by Syrian Electronic Army! #SEA #Syria #ByeByeObama http://t.co/HTKoO6gIL6
Ops! @AP get owned by Syrian Electronic Army! #SEA #Syria #ByeByeObama http://t.co/HTKoO6gIL6-- SyrianElectronicArmy