Reports of a 'Global Internet Shutdown' on November 18: Truth or Fake?

A journalist from Vesti debunks a viral fake news story about a global internet shutdown on November 18, explaining its origin and technical impossibility, while also warning about scammers exploiting the panic.

Journalist Anastasia Tadson from Vesti debunks a viral fake news story about a global internet shutdown on November 18. The panic began after her mother called her, frightened by messages in a news channel. The original source was a user named Wesley on social media platform X, whose post about a cyberattack and a three-month blackout garnered millions of views. The fake news was picked up by bloggers on TikTok, Instagram, and Telegram, who added frightening details. The panic was amplified by the coincidence of a planned test of FEMA and FCC alert systems on November 17. The article explains why a global shutdown is technically impossible: the internet is decentralized, and the power grids of different countries are independent. The author warns that the real threat is the activation of scammers who, amid the panic, send phishing links and offer goods at inflated prices. Recommendations are given on how to explain to elderly relatives that this is fake and how to verify information.