FALSE reports on social media that two bodies had been found by construction workers on the A6 Dungiven Bypass, have been described as “reckless” by a Sinn Fein councillor for the area.
Sean McGlinchey has called for tighter controls on what can be posted on anonymous Facebook pages.
He added that he was concerned at the high level of distress such posts can cause members of the public.
The ‘Cop/vosa watch Derry page’ posted shortly after 6.30 pm on Monday evening that two bodies had been found by construction workers near Dungiven.
And it added that PSNI were “at the scene” investigating.
The post was shared over 2,600 times and prompted more than 1,700 comments from people speculating that the workers may have unearthed an ancient burial ground, the site of a massacre of 400 monks or the remains of two forgotten victims of the Troubles.
The initial number of two bodies soon escalated to reports that the remains of 36 people had been located in the passing hours.
Mr McGlinchey said he was inundated with calls from local people asking about the so-called grim find by workers.
He said: “I couldn’t start to count the number of phone calls I had about this so-called discovery of two bodies and not a grain of truth in it.
“People were very distressed, they genuinely believed it was true and were concerned about who these two people could be, wondering how and when they died and came to be in the Dungiven area.
“It is absolutely reckless that any kind of false rumour can be posted on social media on a site that is deliberately designed to look as if it is the police.
“I think it is time tougher controls were introduced about what can be posted on social media without any kind of verification whatsoever.
“Rumours like this serve no purpose but only cause anxiety and distress. I cannot understand the logic of anyone who would write something like this on social media in the full knowledge it is a pack of lies.”
Despite confirmation from local representatives and the PSNI that no bodies were found by construction worker, the post has still not been removed.
The PSNI also rubbished the post.
A spokesman said that while police were aware of the post on social media and had been contacted “numerous times” about it.
He added that after making inquiries, including contacting the construction company, police could confirm there was no substance to it.
Tags: