Il Fatto Quotidiano: Diffonde una fake news sul rapimento di un bambino e scatena il panico: si dimette l’assessora di Garda

Si è dimessa l’assessora al Sociale e all’Istruzione del Comune di Garda, Roberta Cecere, dopo aver contribuito a diffondere una fake news su un presunto tentativo di rapimento di un bambino di 11 anni avvenuto a Bardolino, sul lago di Garda (Verona). La notizia, diffusa tramite un messaggio vocale WhatsApp poi diventato virale, parlava di un rapimento legato addirittura al traffico di organi e alla pedofilia, ma si è rivelata completamente infondata.
Come riportato dal Corriere della Sera, l’assessora è stata accusata di aver provocato un ingiustificato allarme pubblico. Lunedì mattina ha quindi protocollato la lettera di dimissioni, scusandosi con la comunità. Nel testo ha spiegato che la diffusione del messaggio “non è stata dettata da dolo”, ma dalla paura e dalla preoccupazione “come madre di due figli”.

La vicenda aveva nel frattempo sollevato anche una polemica politica: le consigliere del gruppo di minoranza Garda Futura avevano presentato un’interrogazione chiedendone le dimissioni. Secondo la capogruppo Lorenza Ragnolini, si tratta del primo caso in Italia in cui una catena virale di fake news sui presunti rapimenti di bambini viene alimentata da una persona che ricopre un incarico istituzionale. La notizia aveva creato forte preoccupazione tra i residenti, poi rientrata nel giro di 48 ore dopo le verifiche delle forze dell’ordine e le rassicurazioni del sindaco di Bardolino, Daniele Bertasi, che aveva chiarito come non esistesse alcun pericolo per la comunità.
In realtà, l’episodio all’origine della voce era stato un semplice equivoco: alcuni artigiani impegnati in un cantiere si erano fermati con un’auto di car sharing vicino alla scuola alberghiera di Bardolino per far scendere un collega. Un ragazzo presente sul posto si era spaventato per l’improvvisa discesa dell’uomo dall’auto e aveva interpretato male la scena. Le telecamere della zona, analizzate dai carabinieri, hanno poi confermato che non c’era stato alcun tentativo di rapimento.
L'articolo Diffonde una fake news sul rapimento di un bambino e scatena il panico: si dimette l’assessora di Garda proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.

It spreads a fake news about the kidnapping of a child and triggers panic: Councillor Garda resigns.

The assessor for Social Affairs and Education of the municipality of Garda, Roberta Cecere, resigned after contributing to the spread of a fake news about a purported attempted kidnapping of an 11-year-old boy in Bardolino, on Lake Garda (Verona). The news, spread via a WhatsApp voice message that subsequently went viral, spoke of a kidnapping linked to organ trafficking and pedophilia, but it turned out to be completely unfounded.

As reported by Corriere della Sera, the assessor was accused of causing an unjustified public alarm. She then filed her resignation letter on Monday morning, apologizing to the community. In the text, she explained that the spread of the message “was not dictated by malice, but by fear and concern “as a mother of two children.”

The affair had meanwhile also raised a political controversy: the councilors of the opposition group Garda Futura had presented a question demanding her resignation. According to group leader Lorenza Ragnolini, this is the first case in Italy in which a viral chain of fake news about alleged child kidnappings is fueled by a person holding an institutional office. The news had created strong concern among residents, which was then resolved within 48 hours after the investigations by law enforcement and the reassurances of Bardolino mayor, Daniele Bertasi, who had clarified that there was no danger to the community.

In reality, the episode at the origin of the voice had been a simple misunderstanding: some artisans working on a construction site had stopped with a car sharing vehicle near the Bardolino hotel school to let out a colleague. A young man present on the spot had been frightened by the sudden descent of the man from the car and misinterpreted the scene. The cameras in the area, analyzed by the Carabinieri, then confirmed that there had been no attempt at a kidnapping.

Article Spreads a Fake News about the Kidnapping of a Child and Sets Off Panic: Garda Assessor Resigns from Il Fatto Quotidiano.

#CouncillorGarda #Garda #RobertaCecere #Bardolino #LakeGarda #Verona #WhatsApp #CorrieredellaSera #Futura #LorenzaRagnolini #first #Italy #DanieleBertasi #Carabinieri #IlFattoQuotidiano

https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/03/11/diffonde-una-fake-news-sul-rapimento-di-un-bambino-e-scatena-il-panico-si-dimette-lassessora-di-garda/8320220/

Barry Ward’s Letter about Grok/AI

TD Barry Ward, who is also a barrister, has written a letter laying out very clearly why X/Grok could and should be prosecuted immediately under existing Irish law. I’m sharing it in full as it is the public interest. I’ll add my own opinion that the X premises should be raided as soon as possible before evidence can be destroyed.

The letter follows

–o–

To:
Detective Superintendent Pat Ryan
Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau

Dear Superintendent,

You will no doubt be aware of the social media company X and its Grok app, which utilises artificial intelligence to generate pictures and videos. I understand you are also aware that, among its capabilities is the generation, by artificial intelligence, of false images of real people either naked or in bikinis, etc. There has been a great deal of controversy recently about the use of this technology and its ability to target people without their knowledge or consent.

Whatever about the sharing of such images being contrary to the provisions of Coco’s Law (sections 2 and 3 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020), the Grok app is also capable of generating child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or child pornography as defined by section 2(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 (as substituted by section 9(b) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017).

In the circumstances, it seems there are reasonable grounds that the corporate entity X, as owner of Grok, or indeed the corporate entity Grok itself, is acting in contravention of a number of provisions of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 (as amended). Inter alia, it is my contention that the following offences are being committed by X, Grok, and/or its subsidiaries:

1.⁠ ⁠Possession of child pornography contrary to section 6(1) in that the material generated by the Grok app must be stored on servers owned and/or operated by X and with the company’s knowledge, in this jurisdiction or in the European Union [subsections 6(3) and (4) would not apply in this case];

2.⁠ ⁠Production of child pornography contrary to section 5(1)(a) as substituted by section 12 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, in that material is being generated by the Grok app, which constitutes child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or child pornography as defined by section 2(1), since it constitutes a visual representation that shows person who is depicted as being a child “being engaged in real or simulated sexually explicit activity” (per paragraph (a)(i) of the definition of child pornography in section 2(1) as amended by section 9(b) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017);

3.⁠ ⁠Distribution of chiid pornography contrary to section 5(1)(b) as substituted by section 12 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, in that the said images that constitute child pornography are being distributed, transmitted, disseminated or published to the users of the Grok app by X or its subsidiaries;

4.⁠ ⁠Distribution of chiid pornography contrary to section 5(1)(c) as substituted by section 12 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, in that the Child pornography is being sold to the users of the Grok app by X or its subsidiaries, now that the app has been very publically put behind a pay wall;

5.⁠ ⁠Knowing possession any child pornography for the purpose of distributing, transmitting, disseminating, publishing, exporting, selling or showing same, contrary to section 5(1)(g) as substituted by section 12 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.

You will also be aware that, pursuant to section 9(1) of the 1998 Act, a body corporate is equally liable to be proceeded against and punished as if it were an individual.

Given the foregoing, as well as the public outcry against public decency, it is clear to me that X is flagrantly disregarding the laws of this country put in place by the Oireachtas to protect its citizens.

I am formally lodging this criminal complaint in the anticipation that you will investigate it fully and transmit a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions without delay; I would be grateful to hear from you in this regard.

Yours sincerely,

Barry Ward TD
Senior Counsel

#BarryWard #Garda #Grok #Twitter #X

#EnochBurke is back #trespassing at #WilsonsHospital, defying an injunction, as he told the #HighCourt #IEHC he would do.

#Garda did not arrest Burke because they did not have a warrant. The school now has to send its barrister to court. The warrant will be issued, then Gardai will spend days hunting Burke.

The #BurkeFamily is being allowed to mock the High Court. The court needs power to issue pre-emptive warrants, to allow immediate arrest.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0115/1553218-enoch-burke/ / https://archive.is/lfUXS