Wikipedia:Death by Wikipedia

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Death by Wikipedia is a phenomenon in which a person is erroneously proclaimed dead through vandalism of their Wikipedia article. Articles about the comedian Paul Reiser, British television host Vernon Kay, and U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (who died in 2010) have been vandalized in this way.{{Cite web|last=Metz |first=Cade |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/22/wikipedia_vandalism_crackdown/ |title=Wikipedia vandalism crackdown|work=The Register |date=2009-01-22 |accessdate=2010-03-31}}{{Cite web|last=Goss |first=Patrick |url=http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/vernon-kay-shocked-at-death-by-wikipedia-464838 |title=Vernon Kay shocked at death by Wikipedia |publisher=Techradar |date=2008-09-15 |accessdate=2010-03-31}}{{Cite news|last=Pershing |first=Ben |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/01/kennedy_the_latest_victim_of_w.html?hpid=topnews |title=WashingtonPost.com |publisher=Voices.washingtonpost.com |date= |accessdate=2010-03-31}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023}} In some cases, deaths erroneously reported on Wikipedia have been picked up by news sources. A related phenomenon involves the correct reporting of a death before it is officially announced. For example, an anonymous contributor added the date of Nancy Benoit's death to the relevant article before her body was discovered by police.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.wired.com/underwire/2007/06/wikipedia-anony/|title=Anonymous Benoit Wikipedia Editor Speaks Again|magazine=Wired |publisher=Wired.com|accessdate=2011-07-01|last1=Zjawinski |first1=Sonia }}