Steve Harvey Death Hoax Circulates on Social Media

In early 2024, rumors began circulating on social media platforms claiming that comedian and “Family Feud” game show host Steve Harvey had died due to a tragic accident. These claims, however, are entirely false. As of October 17, 2024, Steve Harvey remains alive, according to credible information from his weekday radio program, “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.” A representative of Harvey has chosen not to comment on the rumors.

Historically, death hoaxes have targeted Harvey multiple times. In July 2023, he humorously responded to such a hoax by posting an image of himself looking at his phone with the caption, “Me seeing that RIP Harvey is trending.” This indicates that unverified claims about Harvey’s death have frequently emerged in the past.

Social media posts have perpetuated these rumors. For instance, a Facebook user posted on October 17, 2024, claiming, “Breaking news Steve passed on in a car accident yesterday R.I.P.” Another commenter on October 9 stated, “So Steve Harvey was in a car accident but has survived so far. Why do people lie about him passing away?” These posts are part of a broader series of false and misleading claims regarding Steve Harvey’s purported demise.

A story circulated on YouTube, utilizing misleading videos with sensationalist titles and images. One such video, uploaded on October 6, falsely announced “Devastating News… In a Tragic Accident Yesterday Night, Steve Harvey Passed Away,” showcasing a misleading thumbnail of Harvey next to a car accident image.

Furthermore, a Meta ad library search showed the tech giant accepted payments for advertising that promoted false death hoaxes about Harvey throughout 2024, dating back to at least March. Advertisements running across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger pushed users towards news aggregator apps claiming Harvey had died. Interestingly, page manager information revealed the involvement of users based in China, Brazil, and the U.S.

Individuals created these misleading stories for views and clicks, leading people towards apps with millions of downloads and thousands of positive reviews. Despite efforts to control such misinformation, it remains prevalent across social media platforms, raising concerns about policy enforcement and review processes.