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The police strongly advise against posting unauthorized search appeals on social media, such as Facebook. (Symbolic image) © afo
The current missing person case of a 16-year-old shows why well-intentioned private online appeals can end up becoming a problem.
Langenbach – A missing person search with reference to Langenbach is currently circulating on social networks and messengers: In the publications from the environment of a 16-year-old girl, several portrait photos can be seen, as well as parts of a passport with data. Next to it is written: “Yesterday she was on her way to her first day of vocational school in Landshut, but unfortunately she didn’t make it. The last location of the cell phone was at 11:36 a.m. in the Augsburg area.”
One of the posts makes a desperate appeal: “Please come home, we miss you so much.” On Thursday evening, a new Facebook post states that the girl has contacted us, but is not yet home, and that the 16-year-old does not want to reveal her whereabouts. People are now being asked not to spread the search notice any more.
Already shared ten thousand times after just a few days
On Friday morning, one of the original search requests on Facebook had already been shared ten thousand times across Germany, with users expressing their sympathy for the family and their willingness to help in comments. However, some commentators were also critical. They expressed their understanding for the helpless situation of the relatives, but also asked for the official missing person report from the police and warned of the negative consequences of an uncontrolled, private public search. In a discussion, other users argued that the involvement of the radio station Antenne Bayern was legitimate, but there was no corresponding report on its pages. Instead, a relative marked Antenne Bayern in her Facebook search request, which does not require the consent of the site operators.
Our newspaper asked the police. The Freising police station responsible for Langenbach initially informed them that their colleagues in Rottenburg/Laaber (Landshut district) would be handling the case because of the 16-year-old’s actual place of residence. A spokesperson at the police station there explained that they were indeed processing the report. “However, we have decided against a public search and have therefore not contacted the press.” The search for the missing person was made public by the family, and the police could not provide any further information.
“Posts develop a dynamic of their own and often only lead to confusion”
Freising’s deputy head of the inspection, Hans-Jürgen Hintermeier, explains why the police strongly advise against private search requests: “Such posts develop a dynamic of their own and often only lead to confusion and a wealth of undefined clues that we then have to process anyway,” says Hintermeier. “Otherwise we are exposed to the accusation that we are not taking action.”
He sees another problem in violation of personal rights: “When it comes to adults, they have their own right to determine where they live. People often don’t like it when they are being publicly searched for.” The police can also only take action if there is a concrete danger or an indication of a crime.
“Don’t just publicly distribute data that I can never capture again”
Hintermeier continued: “When it comes to minors, the parents have the right to determine their place of residence. Nevertheless, you have to be aware that the Internet never forgets anything. I can’t just publicly distribute data that I can never capture again.” He warns against making things difficult for young people “by posting things that will later come back to haunt them when they are looking for a job or in their professional life.”
For anyone who wants to spread the word about a missing person search, Hintermeier recommends using the police’s websites and social media sites as a source. The Freisinger Tagblatt also only publishes official police wanted notices and removes personal data and photos from the online articles as soon as the search is completed.
