Elfriede Jelinek lives! Wrong death report causes excitement

Elfriede Jelinek lives! Wrong death report causes excitement

On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, a false report spread about the death of the 78-year-old Nobel Prize for Literature Elfriede Jelinek, as Rowohlt-Verlag confirmed. This message was initially taken up by German media and quickly found its way to some Austrian news sites. It turned out that the source of the false report was a fake X account called "Rowohltat", which was created as a joke by the Italian journalist Tommasso DeBedetti. Rowohlt-Verlag made it clear that this account was not official and that it is in no way associated with it.

In a message, the publisher emphasized that they cannot confirm Elfriede Jelinek's death. The KRONE.AT website also reported on the alleged death for a short time and later apologized for the wrong reporting.

reactions to the false report

The reactions to the fake death report were prompt and multi -layered. Among other things, the well -known author Jenny Erpenbeck plans to turn on the police due to the spread of such fake news. She commented concerns about the effects of such false reports on society and art, and demands responsibility of the makers of such news.

The phenomenon of fake news is not new, but the distribution on social media has increased significantly in recent years. A report by the Federal Center for Political Education explains that unreliable information is often spread by malicious actors. The uncertainty about the terms fake news, misinformation and disinformation leads to a growing concern in public.

The dangers of fake news

empirical research shows that fake news is less common, but are intensively consumed in certain circles. Low trust in political and media institutions increases the recipribility for such false reports. Initiatives such as "EU vs. Disinfo" and the European Digital Media Observatory were launched to combat disinformation and to promote confidence in serious media.

In addition, the current situation around Elfriede Jelinek illustrates the importance of media literacy. This is necessary to safeguard trust in serious sources of information and reduce the spread of fake news. Studies show that many citizens are afraid that such reports could even influence election results. The reflection on media content and the development of critical skills in dealing with information are crucial steps to combat fake news.

The debate about fake news won especially after the events of Donald Trump's election in 2016 and the Brexit referendum. During this time, many politically manipulative messages were distributed that generated high number of clicks and changed the political climate sustainably. At this point it is important to recognize that the spread of false reports can influence both public opinion and society as a whole.

The case discussion around Elfriede Jelinek not only illustrates the dangers of fake news, but also the need for responsible action in the media. Only by strengthening media literacy and support in the population can the influence of such false reports.

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