Ohhh, the bubble gum myth. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve heard that one. The range for time for that myth I have heard as 6 months, 6 years, or all your life. I swallow gum all the time. If that were true, you know what would happen? My stomach would become so full of gum, it would not be able to contain any food at all. So much for that myth.
Also, the myth that cracking knuckles gives you arthritis. The sad trush is, the majority of the people think this is true. I think it’s just the bad image it makes because it sounds so much like something is being broken, which it isn’t. But some people do get arthritis who crack their knuckles a lot. This is probably the same case as with the silicone breast implant scare - a few people get arthritis who crack their knuckles (probably the same percentage as those who don’t), and they immediately mistake it for cause/effect. I heard that, if anything, cracking your joints prevents arthritis.
Then there’s all the stuff people tell you about the internet. Don’t send anyone you don’t know e-mail, don’t go into chat rooms, don’t accept any files even from people you know, don’t give out your e-mail address, don’t give out your real name, ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY ON THE INTERNET IS A HACKER OUT TO FIND YOU!
sigh the only thing those kinds of stories do is prevent people from doing anything on the internet.