The 152 Facebook users whose photos a Dutch woman supposedly tattooed on her arm might not be feeling quite so special anymore. Dutch newspaper The Telegraaf reported Wednesday that the whole thing—video of which quickly turned into a Web sensation—was, in fact, a big hoax.
Rotterdam tattoo artist Dex Moelker admitted to the Telegraaf that the tattoo and video were an advertising stunt. “It is a try-out tattoo, a transfer, that washes off in a couple of days,” he said, explaining that the pictures actually took a couple of hours to apply, not 30 hours as the YouTube video claimed.
Blogger Michael Wester said that the video was likely a viral campaign for the Dutch company Pretty Social, which sells bags, posters, and other items featuring pictures of Facebook friends. The recipient of the “tattoo” thanks Pretty Social in the video, and the video is also featured on the company’s home page.
