The keyword phrase functions as a proper noun. It is the specific identifier for an internet hoax that originated from a 2014 satirical news article. The fabricated story alleged that a teenager murdered his brother in a dispute over a high score in the mobile game "Flappy Bird."
This phenomenon emerged at the peak of the game's global popularity and the subsequent media attention surrounding its abrupt removal from app stores by its creator. The article was published by Huzlers, a website that produces fictional content for satirical purposes. The story's virality was amplified by the game's notoriously difficult and frustrating nature, which made the extreme, violent reaction described in the hoax seem plausible to audiences unfamiliar with the source's satirical intent. The event serves as a significant case study in the dissemination of misinformation through social media.
From an analytical standpoint, the term illustrates a form of moral panic, where a new technology or cultural product is sensationally linked to violent or antisocial behavior. Its persistence in search queries and online discourse highlights the lasting impact of viral hoaxes on collective memory. Thus, while its grammatical classification is a proper noun, its primary function is that of a cultural artifact representing a specific intersection of gaming culture, satirical news, and the challenge of digital media literacy.
