Meme Instructions Make Bombs, Not Glow Sticks
snopes.com
snopes.com
The "FALSE" refers to the claim that the instructions are for a glow stick. According to Snopes, the instructions are actually for a dangerous chemical bomb.
It is a bit confusing. Snopes could as easily have addressed the claim that this meme is floating around on social media (which apparently is true).
I've only seen warnings about it, not the meme itself. If my experience is typical, it's nice to see (apparently) accurate information outrunning a dangerous hoax for once.
People might be ignorant, but that chemistry ignorance extends to being afraid of words like "chlorine", and for that matter, trying chemistry experiments they found on the internet. Furthermore "cap the bottle TIGHTLY, and shake it up" should set off alarm sirens for anyone who's ever heard of a dry ice bomb (what teenager hasn't?) They might not understand the chemistry behind it, but they'll see the end result coming from a mile away.
Shit, I can't claim to understand the chemistry behind it, but as soon as I read it (weeks ago, not on this snopes article) I knew exactly what it would do.
Doubtlessly thousands of people have seen this 'meme', but who has fallen for it?
The problem comes up when people don't understand what they're resharing, but do it because "it's cool". The same problem happens when people share something "just in case."
Sharing is seen as a form of endorsement. It is generally taken to mean "I have done this" or "I want to do this" when it usually means "this caught my attention for 5 seconds."
Those are also appropriate instructions for a glow stick, where you break an interior container and then shake the stick to mix the two liquids. So I don't think someone expecting to make a glow stick would consider anything amiss here.
Now if only people read the warnings on pool chlorine more carefully, they probably wouldn't even think about doing dumb shit like this.