For that reason, readers should be careful before sharing claims about a person’s disappearance, death, arrest, or discovery unless the information comes from a reliable and identifiable source.
How to Verify a “Breaking” Missing-Person Update
If you encounter a post like the one shown in the image, there are several practical steps you can take.
- Look for an official source
Check whether the relevant police department, sheriff’s office, emergency-management agency, or other authority has released an update.
- Check established news organizations
Major news organizations generally identify their sources and provide dates and locations for significant developments.
- Check the date
An old story can easily be reposted as though it happened today.
The date of a photograph and the date of the event may also be completely different.
- Look for the original report
Instead of relying on a screenshot or repost, try to find the original announcement.
- Be skeptical of cropped screenshots
A screenshot may remove important context, including disclaimers, dates, or links to the original source.
