A study from the University of Cincinnati published today has revealed that the popular online statement ‘I’m dead’ is only true in five-percent of cases, with the remaining ninety-five percent guilty of online deception.

‘I’m dead’ has become a popular phrase on social media, usually written in response to a humorous post. But whether typed in all caps, or followed by a long series of emojis, the American PhD students concluded that in only a few cases are people dead at the time of writing.

‘It’s certainly a huge finding, and tells us that we should be really careful when we read things online. Not everyone is telling the truth, and there are some malicious liars around’, said Dr Amber Casoni, the project lead.

The study adds yet more fuel to the fire raging on the debate on online representation.

In August 2015, Helen Stark from Dundee commented on a Facebook video of a baby elephant falling into a puddle ‘this is literally me’. Three weeks later, the parents of the young elephant announced their intentions to sue Ms. Stark for identity fraud and defamation of character.

And Stark, who is now jobless and talking to us from the other end of a cave full of angry elephants, believes that people are going to have to start talking more literally to avoid any trouble.

‘We have to be careful what we say online now, anyone could get offended. We have to be careful what we say online now, anyone could get offended.’ Oh no, sorry. That was the echo.