Debating fabrication: 'Syrian Hero Boy' in the virtual public sphere
Journal: BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway))
Year: 2016

In November 2014, the film “Syrian hero boy” went viral. It depicted a young boy targeted by snipers. He dodges the bullets, and manages to save another child from the scene. After the story was published in newspapers worldwide, however, it became clear that it was a fabrication, shot and directed at a set in Malta. This thesis explores the media coverage of “Syrian hero boy” through a content analysis of 93 articles written about the film in online newspapers, asking how this coverage fit with