New hoax on WhatsApp about a terrorist attack in Spain
The messaging application used worldwide once again serves to channel uncertain information about a possible and imminent attack in Spain at the hands of Islamic terrorists. A piece of information that has spread like wildfire through conversations on WhatsApp and that the Ministry of the Interiorhas been forced to deny it to avoid social alarmThus, Spain continues in anti-terrorism alert state, but with no forecast of an imminent attack .
Thus, after the rapid proliferation on WhatsApp of various messages stating the imminent risk of an attack on Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, or that puts users on alert due to the armed appearance of police officers in train stations , Interior has published a statement to inform that the alert level remains at 4 , but without there being a risk of attack such as the one disseminated in these messages. In addition, said note has stated that "the information that is being disseminated through some social networks and other communication channels such as WhatsApp about the commission of a possible attack in Spain lacks all credibility."
In this way, they are hoaxes and messages with false information that seek to "cause states of fear in the population and alarm citizens or other malicious purposes that are completely oblivious to security”, according to Interior. And he adds that, as usual, any change in the state of alert in which Spain finds itself would be made through the official media of the Ministry and the Security Forces and Bodies of the State.
Therefore, WhatsApp returns to being the alarm channel of someone who has created a message at their own expense and risk, and that does nothing but misinform the public with content that, far from reality, manages to go viral due to fear and fear A tactic that is already common in this messaging application, although it is usually used with less sensitive issues such as application payment or privacy However, fear of a possible attack has given rise to a series of messages that should not be taken seriously, as the account of the National Police recalls.on the social network Twitter. And it is that this organization also fights against misinformation by reporting this type of message and applying the hashtag stopbulos to prevent it from being shared through WhatsApp and others social networks
Once again, the success of WhatsApp and its expansion are again a burden for users, who are bombarded every time more for advertising messages, spam or even with this type of hoaxes in which fear, an incredible offer or the lack of information manage to make the most gullible in scams, pranks or the fear that spreads with just a couple of screen touches.When in doubt, the best thing to do is consult official channels and not WhatsApp conversations
