[smhenderson]

My understanding of that statement is that, with the advent of ubiquitous smart phones with cameras, there's not much room to believe someone's claim of alien abduction these days. If they have no picture or video to prove it then it's likely not true. Sure, some people may get abducted without their phone, but the possibility of no one ever having a phone to record such an event is statistically improbable.

So, with too few people able to suspend belief and buy into claims of alien abduction without proof from their phone, no one really makes that claim anymore.

Maybe that's not what the GP was getting at but that's how I read it...

[seriousquestion]

Yes, exactly. Fundamentally it's a way to attract attention. If the claim is getting less attention, you would expect it to die out.

[smhenderson]

Apparently we touched someone's nerve - why we are being downvoted is beyond my comprehension. Guess we weren't serious 'nuff for the HN crowd. As I said in a comment a few days ago, sometimes I really miss /.