The South African Police Service in the Free State Province warns the community of fake digital posters circulated on social media platforms.

Fake posters or digital flyers announcing, for instance, a “community total shutdown,” are highly effective tools for disinformation. Even when entirely fabricated, they can create immediate chaos because they exploit public anxiety and the fast, unchecked nature of social media sharing.

​When a fake shutdown notice goes viral, it creates several distinct dangers that threaten public safety, the local economy, and community stability.

​The primary objective of a fake shutdown poster is to generate widespread anxiety.  Total shutdowns are frequently associated with blocked roads, burning tires, and clashes. A poster alone can make residents feel unsafe to leave their homes.

Fearing for their safety or intimidation, workers stay home. This disrupts local businesses, manufacturing, and essential public services.

​Schools may close to protect children, and clinics or mobile health services may suspend operations, leaving vulnerable people without access to care or medication. Taxi associations, bus services, and private motorists may alter their routes or halt operations entirely to avoid potential stoning or burning of vehicles.

Local criminal elements or gangs may see the widespread panic as an invitation to engage in looting, arson, or opportunistic robberies, using the “shutdown” narrative as a shield for criminality.

A poster can act as a spark. Individuals who are already frustrated by service delivery or other socio-economic issues might see the flyer and decide to actively start barricading roads, effectively creating a protest that didn’t originally exist.

The police advise members of the community to verify social media posts and posters before they act on false or fake news.