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Get a Tan Via Computer? 30K Believed It

Website vowed to deliver tanning rays through computer screen

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 6, 2009 1:26 PM CST

(Newser) – Tired of dawdling in front of a computer screen all day while your skin retains that dried-out winter look? Well now you can get a tan right from your computer screen—or so thousands of Britons thought. A UK charity developed the ComputerTan website hoax to raise awareness about skin cancer and duped 30,000 people into visiting, the Times of London reports. Instead of a tan, they got bombarded with cancer facts.

The charity’s founder defended the scheme, noting that skin cancer “is the most common form of cancer in young adults and is largely preventable. The lack of regulation concerning the use of sunbeds is an extremely serious issue, and this campaign highlights the fact that it is high time for a change in the law.”

ComputerTan is a ruse by the UK skin cancer charity Skcin to raise awareness of skin cancer in the UK.
ComputerTan is a ruse by the UK skin cancer charity Skcin to raise awareness of skin cancer in the UK.   (Shutter Stock)
The ComputerTan technology promised to harness the rays of a computer screen to give office workers a tan while they type.
The ComputerTan technology promised to harness the rays of a computer screen to give office workers a tan while they type.   (Shutter Stock)
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The latest craze sweeping the Internet, a tan from your computer, has turned out to be a hoax.   (thefamilygp)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
Guest
Feb 7, 2009 6:03 AM CST
So you're saying if this website originated from the States it wouldn't have as much traffic? LOL
riffran
Feb 7, 2009 12:11 AM CST
cool idea except for the resultant UV iritis, the next day...."I'M BLIND I'M BLIND!".....some people are just too gullible, a computer tan now thats rich
atris999
Feb 6, 2009 4:13 AM CST
I heard about a shower that has UV bulbs so you can tan while getting clean. But did you know that getting too little sunlight is just as bad? There's a certain sweet spot for UV exposure.

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