Police in PA say online posts about missing people, local crimes are false

💻 Bristol Township police posted recent examples of false information

💻 Without any fact checks misinformation can easily spread

💻 How do you identify misinformation?

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, Pa. - If you see a desperate message on your Facebook feed about a missing girl, a brutal attack on someone after they opened their door to someone needing help, or a bruised infant wandering around a neighborhood, police they're all false.

Bristol Township police shared screenshots of the posts from the Croydon, Bucks County PA. Facebook page seeking help locating a 12-year-old girl missing from Croydon for four days and warning about a man who attacked a single mother with a knife and stole a car from an 84-year-old woman.

"This is another fake social media post. Please do not engage with the post. We will be attempting to have the post reported to Facebook as a scam and ultimately removed," the department wrote on its Facebook page.

Bristol police said they would continue to make residents aware of other fake posts.

Where does 'fake news' come from?

There are several reasons people share false posts, according to the American Psychological Association. They may not even believe what they are sharing.

"People may share information they know is false to signal their political affiliation, disparage perceived opponents, or accrue social rewards. Psychological factors contribute significantly to this process: People are more likely to share misinformation when it aligns with personal identity or social norms, when it is novel, and when it elicits strong emotions," the American Psychological Association wrote in a 2023 article.

The article said that misinformation is often posted by a small group but their reach is extended because there is no fact-checking.

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