When Women Forward Fear
The Power of Misinformation
Let’s forget ancient history and focus on today’s world — where the internet is both a tool and a trap. The greatest threat to women’s progress doesn’t always come from the outside. More often than not, it comes from — other women.
You’ve seen it, I’ve seen it. It’s that moment when a well-meaning woman, who has the best of intentions, unknowingly becomes a part of the problem. And let’s be honest, it’s time we talk about it. So buckle up — this isn’t your typical “sisterhood” fluff.
Last month, a message got forwarded in one of that oh-so-familiar WhatsApp in our neighbors’ group. You know the type: a blurry, cryptic post warning of a “perfume scam” where women are supposedly tricked into fainting after inhaling some scent, only to be robbed of their jewellery. It's the kind of sensationalized nonsense that hits you like a bad headline from a tabloid, but somehow, people still bite.
With a sense of moral responsibility, my neighbour lady forwarded such a post to our neighbors’ group. She genuinely thought she was protecting innocent women by spreading awareness.
Naturally, I thought I’d do the responsible thing and question the source. I asked her, “Do you know anyone who has experienced this? Or where it happened?” Seems simple enough, right?
Wrong step I put forward. Another lady neighbor jumped in, lecturing me about “respecting all informative messages” without questioning them. Let that sink in. She definitely told me to trust the message just because it was passed along. I felt like I was living in an alternate reality where basic common sense had gone out of fashion.
But here’s the kicker: I didn’t stop. I researched the so-called “scam” and found that it was a hoax — fake news crafted to prey on our fears. The message was designed to go viral, to create hysteria, and it worked — on women like my neighbor lady who blindly forwarded it without a second thought and another so-called educated lady blindly defended her.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This isn’t just about one isolated incident. This is a trend. A business strategy, even. Big corporations know how to manipulate emotions to sell products. How many times have you seen an emotional story attached to a perfume ad or a shiny new product? And how many of those have been designed to subtly undermine smaller, local businesses or push a specific gendered narrative?
Let’s get into the real dirt: fear is a cash cow. When large companies send out these emotional appeals disguised as “public service” warnings, they prey on women’s vulnerabilities, wrapping fear in the guise of concern. The message? That we need someone — usually a man — to protect women. They thrive off making women feel unsafe in their skin, in our own spaces.
Oh, and don’t even get me started on the men. There’s an entire sector of society that would love nothing more than to keep women in a perpetual state of fear. Why? Because it keeps them dependent. It keeps the hierarchy of power dynamic nice and cosy — where men continue to hold the reins, especially when it comes to women's safety.
And just when you thought the conspiracy couldn’t get any more twisted, let’s talk about the politicians. You know the drill — during election season, opposition parties love to stoke the flames of fear about women’s safety. Why? Because it works. It makes voters feel like the ruling party isn’t doing enough, playing on the emotions of half the population. And once again, women are pawns in the game.
So, here’s the harsh truth: It is the women who help them spread the misinformation. Women charged with emotions are forwarding these fear-mongering messages, unknowingly feeding into a system that profits from their insecurity. All women want to protect each other. But by passing along these lies, they’re doing the opposite.
This is not about blaming women. It’s about empowerment through awareness. The internet has given us the power to share, but we’ve also handed over a lot of power to anyone who can exploit our instincts and fears. By simply sharing these “warnings,” women are unwittingly playing into someone else’s plan. They become volunteers to spread misinformation without even realizing it.
Ladies, (not all, some are already smarter than any) you’ve got to be smarter than this. You need to question the stories that are pushed down your throats.
You need to challenge the systems — corporate, political, and even cultural — that thrive on your fear and confirmation biases. The next time you see that forward, pause. Question it. Check the source. And if it smells fishy? Don’t share it. Just don’t.
In the age of information, ignorance is not bliss, it’s a weapon. And guess what? We’ve been handing it over, one forwarded message at a time.
Takeaway: Wake up. Your shared post might be someone else’s weapon.
