The Max Headroom Incident

#1

Post by sec400 » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 4:23 PM UTC

The Max Headroom Incident
allthatsinteresting.com

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#2

Post by dangle1 » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 4:43 PM UTC

It's always fascinating seeing the internet catalog and consolidate knowledge, especially regarding events that occurred pre-internet.

Back when these events happened, a blurb appeared on TV news and in papers, but there was no easy way to get the big picture as the investigations evolved.

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#3

Post by h2odragon » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 4:53 PM UTC

The assumption that the content of the video had something do do with why it was broadcast may not be reasonable. Someone wanting to play the technical prank might well find some of the most random shit available to broadcast, hoping (perhaps mistakenly) that the point would be clear anyway.

I think its also possible that the the technically equipped people who did this were perhaps not thinking as clearly as usual that evening. Intoxicants may have been involved. There were some gifted organic chemists working out in the suburbs then.

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#4

Post by MrRadar » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 4:58 PM UTC

A few years ago I saw this documentary on the incident, including technical details on how the video was produced and examining and then debunking a number of theories about the incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgbci2Zf7ms

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#5

Post by smithza » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 5:23 PM UTC

Notice: The latter portion of the video is NSFW.

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#6

Post by beaner » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 5:27 PM UTC

Of all the conspiracy theories out there, this one, to me, has the highest coverage-to-interestingness ratio. It just seems like a teen hacked an AV system and did a goofy presentation. I'm surprised that type of thing isn't more common, and I'm befuddled as to why this one gets so much attention.

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#7

Post by seibelj » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 5:30 PM UTC

Classic Reddit post on a theory of who did it https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eeb6e/i_believe_i_kno...

An update said it was disproven but still an interesting read

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#8

Post by mattl » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 5:31 PM UTC

dangle1 wrote: post #2

It's always fascinating seeing the internet catalog and consolidate knowledge, especially regarding events that occurred pre-internet. Back when these events happened, a blurb appeared on TV news and in papers, but there was no easy way to get the big picture as the investigations evolved.

This wasn't pre-Internet though. This happened in 1987.

EDIT: "the Internet, as we know it today, was not deployed until 1983" -- people who know more about this than you.

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#9

Post by 0des » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 5:32 PM UTC

For anyone wondering, I recently re-watched the Max Headroom series & movie, and it still holds. I recommend you check it out, even if you hadn't seen it before.

Re: The Max Headroom Incident

#10

Post by post-it » Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 5:35 PM UTC

mattl wrote: post #8

dangle1 wrote: post #2

It's always fascinating seeing the internet catalog and consolidate knowledge, especially regarding events that occurred pre-internet. Back when these events happened, a blurb appeared on TV news and in papers, but there was no easy way to get the big picture as the investigations evolved.

This wasn't pre-Internet though. This happened in 1987. EDIT: "the Internet, as we know it today, was not deployed until 1983" -- people who know more about this than you.

Sure, but pre-"everyone is online always". Even things that happened in 2005, at the start of Reddit and Digg and well into the reign of MySpace, weren't summarized and consolidated as efficiently as they are today.