A truck drove into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice late on Thursday night. Even as several outlets reported more than 70 victims, the number had yet to be officially confirmed at the time of publication.
With this attack, the latest in a tragic series to have shaken France in recent years, government authorities urged social media users to avoid sharing rumors. The French government’s official Twitter account asked users to “act responsibly” and share only content from sources they trust.
#Nice Relayez uniquement les messages provenant de comptes officiels >> https://t.co/ATSgLbTsAj pic.twitter.com/GSlD8R2hdw
— Gouvernement (@gouvernementFR) July 14, 2016
A similar appeal came from the Gendarmerie, the military police.
#Nice06 Don't propagate rumors and don't broadcast shocking photos or videos
— Gendarmerie nationale (@Gendarmerie) July 14, 2016
This has not stopped users from raising alarm about a fire allegedly at the base of the Eiffel Tower, which police say was an accident unrelated to Nice.
Ne propagez pas de fausses rumeurs. Aucun incendie à la #TourEiffel. Un incendie accidentel de camion a eu lieu pont d'Iéna. Il est éteint.
— Préfecture de Police (@prefpolice) July 14, 2016
The attack has also already seen the return of a bizarre hoax about a relative gone missing, which has already been debunked.
As with previous attacks, the advice from the “On the Media’s” Breaking News Handbook remains relevant.
As news comes in from Istanbul, remember to keep the Breaking News Consumer's Handbook in mind. pic.twitter.com/TkzeLrszpK
— On the Media (@onthemedia) June 28, 2016
