Port Elizabeth police have urged social media users to verify and confirm information with them before posting and circulating it, in order to avoid misinformation from going viral.
Spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg says they noted with concern posts on social media about an abandoned baby found at the Greenacres shopping centre on Saturday.
She says according to the post, the child was found and taken to the Mount Road police station and handed over to police members.
Janse van Rensburg says police confirmed that there were no such reports, nor did anyone drop off any child.
She says while social media is a helpful medium for both the community and the police, fake news and the dissemination of false information sows panic among communities and also wastes the police's time and resources.
Janse van Rensburg says such misinformation is reckless, irresponsible and unacceptable.
