Every so often, the internet does this thing where it makes up stories or inexplicable trends (ie. the meme about 30-50 feral hogs) that go viral — and this week, Twitter started an outrageous rumor that Lorde is going to prison.

So, why is #FreeLorde trending?

Basically, fans started the hashtag #FreeLorde on Monday (October 7) after they truly believed the Melodrama singer was at risk of serving jail time following New Zealand's newly proposed policy, which will reportedly fine the parents of students who drop out of high school and do not complete their studies.

In case you didn't know, Lorde left school in 2013 to focus on her prospering music career. She later released her debut album, Pure Heroine, so she didn’t return to complete her senior year.

But is Lorde really going to prison?

Of course not! The worst that could happen is that Lorde's parents will be fined a total of $3,000. Nowhere in the policy does it say that parents or students will be required to serve time in jail. In fact, the School Leaver Tax Policy has not even been implemented in New Zealand yet... and it might not ever will.

The #FreeLord hashtag was simply the result of stans running with an idea that they didn't quite understand nor research. It did, however, give birth to some of the best memes the internet could offer.

In conclusion, Lorde is not in prison. Instead, she's probably enjoying a good laugh in the studio as she continues to work on her forthcoming third studio album.

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