> Combined with a TikTok account of a person who is clearly participating in the attention economy, I am skeptical.

Yep, from the context, 100% this is fake. Also, while this Jason Gibson claims to be a history professor at Alcorn State University, it seems to me that Alcorn State doesn't have a history department, and no "Jason Gibson" appears anywhere in the faculty list of Alcorn's College of Arts and Sciences. https://www.alcorn.edu/academics/schools-and-departments/col...

Maybe I'm sheltered, but I've never seen a university professor without a departmental web page and a list of publications. Or a RateMyProfessors.com listing.

I'm not saying Jason Gibson is or isn't a real peron, but a quick sleuthing turns up this:

- Alcorn State History major within Department of Social Sciences[0]

- Jason Gibson LinkedIn[1]

It's true he's not listed on Alcorn State's faculty page[2], but it also says he started in July 2025. He is listed on the faculty page of Tougaloo College[3], which is listed in his LinkedIn bio. Sounds like he's probably an adjunct professor or someone without full standing, which isn't that uncommon to not list on a faculty page. The Social Sciences department at Alcorn State has 4 people listed, which seems low and probably incomplete.

If it's a hoax, it's a pretty elaborate one.

[0]https://www.alcorn.edu/academics/schools-and-departments/col...

[1]https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-gibson-287782a2/

[2]https://www.alcorn.edu/academics/schools-and-departments/col...

[3]https://www.tougaloo.edu/academic-faculty-directory

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