In wake of school massacre, Conn. authorities warn against social media frauds

NEWTOWN, Conn. Connecticut authorities complained Sunday that false information about the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school is being promulgated online by social media tricksters. And they warned that such misinformation is prosecutable under the law.

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Victims of Conn. school shooting

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Vigils for Conn. school shooting victims

"Misinformation is being posted on social media. People posing as the shooter, mimicking this crime and crime scene and criminal activity, some things in a threatening manner," said Conn. State Police spokesman Paul Vance.

In addition to people pretending to be the shooter or other principals in the investigation, Vance said other posters are putting up information purported to be from the Newtown city police or the Connecticut state police. Neither of those agencies are posting information via twitter or other social media, he said.

"All info related to this case is coming from these microphones," he told reporters at a press briefing in Newtown Sunday morning.

Vance said he considered the misinformation a "violation of federal law and warrants an investigation."

"These issues are crimes, they will be examined in state and federally."

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[Don-TN]

Why was it reported by Major News Media that the Connecticut killer only used a Glock Pistol and a Sig Pistol until the Coroner stated a long gun had been used?
It had been stated by Various Major NEWS sources that the Bushmaster AR-15 was found outside in the car of the Connecticut killer and that it was not used to kill anyone in the school. Again only 2 guns were reported used by the Connecticut killer - found as reported in the school by many so-called reputable media ******. Will the REPORTERS of these Major News Media Groups be brought up on charges?

Why has all the MAJOR News media Not reported that an armed CCW Individual confronted the killer in Oregon. Mere minutes later the Oregon killer ended his own life. Why is this Oregon Information not Front Page? Why is the Jewish Owned and Controlled NEWS MEDIA acting one sided for gun control? Where is honest and responsible news reporting concerning these matters?

I hope the FEDS do HONESTLY look into it.

[jdfaulkner]

I was with you all the way until it became a racial issue. Does it really matter who owns and control the news agencies? The bottom line is we aren't getting correct information anymore. We are getting whatever sells papers or up the ratings.

[WhereisOT]

As the hate, fear & terror continues...
Kinda hard to believe that there are "People" who would do this just for kicks...
In light of a massacre of the most vulnerable, the most Innocent, the most loving & caring, the most defenseless....The Worlds future...

[MickProPer]

Perhaps this fat fool should start by cleaning his own house; the name "Ryan Lanza" didn't show up in media reports by psychic divination! Some jackass in the law enforcement community clearly was responsible for that "information" being leaked to the press - same with virtually all of the other misinformation that was disseminated, i.e.: his mother was killed at the school/his mother was killed at home; there was a crime scene in New Jersey - then there wasn't; he was buzzed in the school/he broke in the front door. Couple that with the inability to identify the victims - out of a controlled environment where they take attendance - for thirty-six hours, and you've got a real case for incompetent police agency of the year. Oops! I'd better be careful before "Officer" (and I'm being generous here - this clown doesn't look like he's in shape to catch a cold!) Vance decides to charge me!

[LarryMoniz]

As another network's media expert pointed out, there are no laws controlling what is said on social networking except in the case of threats, stalking, etc. Social networking, religious freedom and firearms ownership are just three of the freedoms Americans enjoy under the U.S. Constitution. This is just the usual police intimidation and bluster to misdirect. After three days police are either refusing to say what they've found or they've found nothing substantive.

This situation is horrific and could only be devised by a deranged mind. As such, there may never be a satisfactory answer as to motive.

However, perhaps some of the monies wasted on ineffective law enforcement efforts should be redirected to building institutions for the mentally disturbed and forcing Congress to pass laws to confine people like this rather than misdirecting people to false causes for such crimes. Guns are no more guilty in this situation than the automobile that brought the psycho to the scene or the security measures that utterly failed to prevent him from entering the schools.

[hypnotoad72]

"And they warned that such misinformation is prosecutable under the law."


But... but... "freedom of speech!"

Obviously, free speech does not include deliberate misleading others for personal gain (e.g. the form of profiteering these bandits are pursuing.)

[jdfaulkner]

We aren't getting news anymore we are getting whatever semi-fictional story sells papers or gets to watch the nightly news. The media has lost all of their integrity and quite frankly it's unethical.

[At7000]

So there is Federal Law against immature idiots posting false, offensive, nonsense on the Internet? Me thinks that this Connecticut State Police Spokesman is quite an imbecile himself.

Ignore the trolls and idiots, what they crave is attention.

[quincytodd]

As to be expected, there will be people trying to make money out of this tragedy no matter how illicit. After all, we're all living in a Capitalist Society and that's the reason this country is constantly at war.

[hypnotoad72]

Or, at least the unregulated excesses of it.

Any system has pros and cons, and any system is not a system if it allows multiple standards, hypocrisy, or overlooking its own laws to exploit, extort, or hurt.

And most systems come about to prevent hurt of others. (though, before humans evolved, most systems were created as a caste or other system allowing the oppression of its people... but history is just one of them lazy librul things we can't learn from... /sarcasm)

[c-empty]

I would like to see some prosecution extended to members of the media for their continued stream of erroneous facts and suppositions.

[myron_gains]

So this. If the LE and the media had their facts straight from the beginning nobody would have impersonated the wrong brother.

[cubscout09]

Great idea! Let's start with FoxNews.

[disabledvet1960]

Actually there are many types of speech that can be criminal: perjury, slander (in many states), providing pornographic materials to minors, threatening to kill the President, etc.

Based on the situation, I can imagine a number of crimes being committed that aren't considered "protected speech:" 1. impersonating a law officer; 2. creating bogus charities; 3. threatening copycat attacks.

And the "anonymity" of screen name is no defense.

People who think all speech is "free speech" really need to take a Constitutional law class. There are plenty available online.

[AbuBob]

The police did not say anything about impersonating a law enforcement officer, charities, or copycat attacks. They said misinformation. Misinformation in itself is not a crime.

[cubscout09]

"... posters are putting up information purported to be from the Newtown city police or the Connecticut state police."
-Conn. State Police spokesman Paul Vance

Reading is our friend!

[JohnGreenmountain]

Let's get the government to buy guns from the public. People need money and would love to get market value for their weapons. A great buy for the country. We have been at war with ourselves for decades, time to stop the insanity.