News broke on Wednesday that 12-foot skeleton supplier Home Depot would begin charging customers for parking, inciting ire amongst some U.S. DIY enthusiasts. Fortunately, astute customers were quick to remember that this unwelcome report had arrived on a significant date: April 1.
Home Depot itself has since confirmed that this reported paid parking plan was nothing more than an April Fools' Day prank by an unaffiliated hardware publication.
"[T]his is an April Fools' post from a tool review website," Home Depot wrote on X, responding to someone criticising the ostensible change. "We do not charge for parking."
Specifically, the rumour originated from an article published by Pro Tool Reviews on April 1. Using the byline "PTR Editorial Staff," Pro Tool Reviews claimed that Home Depot would begin charging up to $5 for a full day of parking from next month. The publication called this apparent change an "unconventional response to rising inflation," and even made up a fake Home Depot spokesperson, economist, customers, and angry social media users to "quote."
As such, there was little in Pro Tool Reviews' article to tip off the casual reader that something was amiss. The main giveaway was a link at the bottom, which stated that it led to the "original" Home Depot press release. In actuality, it led to a Pro Tool Reviews page declaring, "APRIL FOOLS! GOTCHA!" Pro Tool Reviews also has its article tagged "april fool's [sic]" a time of writing.
Still, the clarification is easy to miss, leading many people to take Pro Tool Reviews' report at face value. Some even directed angry posts to Home Depot's social media accounts, threatening to take their business elsewhere due to the reported parking changes. Home Depot has directly replied to multiple disgruntled commenters to clarify the situation, though it seems not everyone has gotten the message. One must imagine that their social media manager is more than slightly exasperated at this point.
To be fair, this particular nugget of April Fool’s disinformation isn’t completely outside the realm of plausibility. Paid parking lots are far from uncommon, and with the economy going the way it is, it wouldn't be surprising to see businesses scrounging around for new revenue streams.
Some people noted that they first encountered Pro Tool Reviews' prank article via their Google News feed, which led them to believe that it was true. However, the mere fact that something is "on Google" is not an indicator of its accuracy, regardless of whether you found it via search or News.
According to Google, articles featured in your News feed are automatically chosen by an algorithm that is personalised to each user, with articles ranked according to factors such as relevance, authoritativeness, and the individual's interests. No humans are involved in the selection process. As such, this system appears ill-equipped to deal with otherwise trustworthy sources pulling pranks.
This Home Depot parking prank is a good reminder that you should always be vigilant on the internet, and double check information before reacting (and especially before lashing out). This is true at all times, but it's even more so on April 1, a day on which everyone has apparently decided it’s OK to lie without fear of reprisal from God or Santa.
Check sources, check your gut, and never browse with your brain turned off. Slowing down and taking a few seconds to look a little deeper can save you a lot of upset and embarrassment. And if all of that sounds like too much work, then maybe it’s time to take a break from the screens. Go outside, have a picnic, smell a flower. You'll probably be happier for it. Don't worry, the collapse of society will still be here when you get back.
