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Computer
Viruses and "False Authority Syndrome"
John Q. Public
PEOPLE
WITHOUT IMPRESSIVE job titles suffer from False Authority
Syndrome, too. A user who contracts a virus, for example, will often
turn around and confidently tell other people how to avoid them. He
or she may even rise to the position of "office virus expert."
False Authority
Syndrome plays on two important desires. First, people genuinely like
to help others; second, they like to feel in control of their computers.
Users easily succumb to the effects of False Authority Syndrome when
driven by these natural desires.
"Marcello,"
a typical user who took a hoax for real, posted a message on CompuServe
warning users not to read any messages with "Good Times"
in the subject line (lest they contract the so-called Good Times
virus). Ironically, Marcello used the words "Good Times"
in the subject line of his own warning message!
At least one
virus expert sent Marcello a playful reply telling him to "stop
infecting people" with the Good Times virus. Confronted with
details about the hoax, Marcello replied, "Thank you for your
help, and I'm sorry, because I was duped, but anyway I was worry
[sic] about my computer and a lot more from [sic]
my job."
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