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A case of mistaken identity erupted on social media during Sunday’s Super Bowl when viewers incorrectly identified a child actor in Bad Bunny’s halftime performance as a detained immigrant child who had recently made headlines.
The confusion began when the Puerto Rican superstar handed a Grammy award to a young boy during his widely watched performance. Almost immediately, social media posts began claiming the child was Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy whose photo went viral after he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota while wearing a distinctive blue knit hat with bunny ears.
The misidentification spread rapidly across social media platforms. A post by left-wing influencer Ed Krassenstein incorrectly identifying the child as Ramos garnered more than 10 million views on X (formerly Twitter), contributing significantly to the confusion.
However, according to reporting by The New York Times, the child in the halftime show was actually Lincoln Fox Ramadan, a 5-year-old child actor. Ramadan himself confirmed his participation in the performance through an Instagram post, writing, “I will remember this day forever! @badbunnypr.” In a separate post, the young performer added that “it was my truest honor” to be part of the show.
The real Liam Conejo Ramos has a very different story. He and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Aria, were detained at a Texas facility for 12 days earlier this year. The detention gained national attention after photos showed the child appearing unresponsive in his father’s arms during a visit by Representatives Jasmine Crockett and Joaquin Castro to the facility.
Despite Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials finding no criminal records or evidence that the Ecuadorian family was in the country illegally, the Trump administration moved to expedite their asylum hearing to Friday, raising concerns they could face immediate deportation. According to a school official who spoke with HuffPost, Ramos had reportedly fallen ill due to conditions at the detention center.
In a development separate from the Super Bowl confusion, a court granted the family a continuance, allowing them to remain in Minnesota for the time being. The school official described the ruling as providing “additional time and with that, continued uncertainty for a child and his family.” DHS representatives told media outlets that expediting such hearings is standard procedure.
The mistaken identity situation highlights how rapidly misinformation can spread during high-profile events, particularly when connecting to emotionally charged topics like immigration policy. It also demonstrates the power of social media to amplify unverified claims to millions of people within hours.
Bad Bunny’s halftime performance, which featured the Grammy-winning artist performing a medley of his hits with cultural references to his Puerto Rican heritage, received mixed reactions. Former President Donald Trump was among the critics, calling it “absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!” on social media.
The performance, which included the brief interaction with young actor Ramadan, was watched by tens of millions of viewers during the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
As of publication time, Krassenstein has not publicly responded to requests for comment regarding his post that contributed to the spread of the misidentification.
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20 Comments
Interesting case of mistaken identity, though it’s good to see the child performer was actually a young actor, not a detained immigrant child. Social media can certainly spread misinformation quickly.
Yes, it’s important to verify the facts before jumping to conclusions, especially with sensitive issues like immigration. Glad they were able to clear up the confusion.
It’s fascinating to see how quickly misinformation can spread, even around a high-profile event like the Super Bowl halftime show. Kudos to the journalists who were able to clarify the facts.
I’m curious to learn more about the young actor who got to be part of Bad Bunny’s halftime show performance. What an incredible opportunity for a rising talent!
Interesting to see how a case of mistaken identity can blow up so quickly on social media. Glad the truth came out, but it highlights the need for more critical thinking when consuming online content.
Agreed. In the age of instant information sharing, we all have a responsibility to be more cautious and verify claims before spreading them further.
The spread of misinformation on social media is a real problem. It’s good to see this case was quickly debunked, but it highlights the need for careful fact-checking, especially around sensitive topics.
I’m curious to know more about the child actor who participated in Bad Bunny’s halftime show. It must have been an incredible experience for a young performer.
Absolutely, getting to be part of such a high-profile performance at the Super Bowl is an amazing opportunity. Kudos to the young actor for their talent and professionalism.
The spread of misinformation on social media is a real issue, but it’s good to see journalists were able to quickly clarify the facts in this case. Kudos to them for the thorough reporting.
While the initial confusion is understandable, I’m glad the facts were able to be established. Careful verification of information, especially around sensitive topics, is so important these days.
Completely agree. With the speed of information sharing online, it’s crucial that we all take the time to ensure we’re not inadvertently contributing to the spread of misinformation.
The child actor’s participation in the halftime show must have been an incredible experience. I wonder if this will open up more opportunities for young performers in the future.
Absolutely. Visibility at such a major event could definitely raise the profile of talented young actors and open doors for them. A great platform to showcase their skills.
It’s good to see the misinformation around the child performer’s identity was quickly corrected. Social media can be a powerful tool, but also a dangerous one when it comes to the spread of false claims.
It’s great to see the child performer’s identity was clarified. While the initial confusion is understandable, it’s important we all strive to avoid jumping to conclusions, especially around sensitive issues.
Glad to see the truth came out about the child performer’s identity. It’s a good reminder to be cautious about making assumptions, even around high-profile events. Fact-checking is key.
Absolutely. With the prevalence of misinformation online, it’s important we all strive to be more discerning consumers of news and social media content.
While the confusion over the child performer’s identity is understandable, I’m glad the truth came out. It’s important to avoid jumping to conclusions and spreading unverified claims, even if they seem plausible.
Agreed. Social media can amplify misinformation rapidly, so it’s crucial that we all strive to be more discerning consumers of online content.