Is there a twerking feature in Grand Theft Auto 6? The answer is a resounding no, but you might think otherwise. Google’s AI snippet mistakenly suggested the inclusion of such a feature, but it turns out to be nothing more than a clever ruse. This elaborate hoax was orchestrated by YouTuber Jeffrey Phillips, who aimed to demonstrate the shortcomings of auto-generated search results.
During the summer months, Phillips engaged in a campaign of deliberate misinformation to see how quickly Google would take his claims about a twerk button in GTA 6 and integrate them into its algorithm. To his surprise, it didn’t take long. From July to September, Phillips shared posts on multiple social platforms declaring that Grand Theft Auto 6 would have a twerking button. His strategy began with several posts on various subreddits, exploiting Google’s preference for trending threads on those platforms. To lend credibility to his dubious assertion, he also created TikTok videos and fabricated images of the game controller layout, even crafting a mock song to present himself as a credible source.
Spreading Misinformation
In one instance, when someone accused him of fabricating the story, he responded by claiming that he had been contacted by someone at Rockstar. Remarkably, this tactic worked. Phillips details his experience from the 9:30 mark in the video above, noting that the process was easier than he had anticipated. “I was definitely surprised to see that I even showed up on the AI overview,” he explained in an interview with Polygon. “Especially since I didn’t even try to provide substantial or convincing evidence. I thought at most it would say some people on Reddit think it could be true. I wouldn’t have anticipated my comments being cited as a source.”
Initially, discussions regarding a twerking feature in the highly anticipated sequel elicited vague responses regarding dancing mechanics in Rockstar’s games. Over time, though, Phillips’s statements began to infiltrate the AI-generated overview, transforming his comments into a bullet point in search results—success achieved.
Considering he only made a few posts each day, this was impressively simple, highlighting the speed with which misinformation can spread in the absence of human oversight. While GTA 6 might not currently feature a twerking button, it’s possible that if Rockstar is paying attention, it could be a focal point in one of their first updates.
In related news, the original designer of Saints Row suggested that GTA 6 “deserves to be $100” due to the “scope and magnitude of this production.”