Be careful what you read: 6 fake news about Manchester Arena bombing proven wrong

There's been a worldwide outpouring of support and condolences for those affected by the bombing at Manchester Arena that left 22 dead and over 60 injured. 

Fake news, too, has managed to rear its ugly head and spread through popular network sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Be careful about what you read on missing persons or fictional events.

Here are six of them that have been proven false.

1.  Picture of alleged missing kids that was retweeted thousands of times.

A photo compilation was released on various twitter sites displaying a compilation of facial profiles which they claimed were missing after the blast.

The photo was retweeted over 15,000 times and proven false with users identifying famous YouTubers, and 4chan founder Christopher Poole among the "victims".

[embed]https://twitter.com/PrODiiGY_SmAsh/status/866838010150703104[/embed]

2. Internet trolls make up imaginary friends and relatives.

Various Twitter users have taken to post pictures of people they claim are their friends or relatives, appealing to the public for help in locating them.

One particular account uploaded a picture of their "son" who had gone missing, garnering over 20,000 retweets of support.

My son was in the Manchester Arena today
He's not picking up my call!
Please help me pic.twitter.com/VZxkp6nVBN

— Zero (@GamerGateAntifa) May 22, 2017

The person depicted in the photo, a YouTube personality who goes by the username TheReportOfTheWeek, has since uploaded a video assuring the public of his safety.

The user behind the original tweet then posted a response laughing at those who believed in his false claim.

People are still praying for my son ?

— Zero (@GamerGateAntifa) May 23, 2017

The user @GamerGateAntifa has since had his account suspended.

3. Young boy who went "missing" after the concert is actually a model for clothing line for people with Down's Syndrome.

Twitter user @KylieManser1 had tweeted for help searching for his "little brother" who he apparently "can't find".

EVERYONE PLEASE RETWEET THIS HELP ME!
THIS MY LITTLE BROTHER FRANK WE WENT TO THE CONCERT TONIGHT IN #Manchester & NOW WE CANT FIND HIM PLS pic.twitter.com/ucQL6xUZWC

— Kylie Manser (@KylieManser1) May 23, 2017

The Twitter account has since been suspended.

It was eventually revealed that the boy in the photo is a young model with Down's Syndrome posing for the launch of a clothing line in 2014.

[embed]https://twitter.com/DwnsDesigns/status/502519901626834946[/embed]

4. Photos of Ariana Grande "hurt" in the bomb blast when they were actually from a film set.

Even the singer herself, who held her concert at the arena before the bomb blast, was not exempt from becoming the subject of fake news.

Photos of her looking hurt and bloodied were circulated online, sparking concern for the young celebrity.

Fortunately, the claims were quickly proven false with netizens identifying the photos as those belonging to a photoset from the filming of television show Scream Queens.

[embed]https://twitter.com/bildschirmspiel/status/866805296580132865[/embed]

5. "Lost" children holed up in the Holiday Inn.

There were also reports that more than 50 children, who were separated from their guardians, were taken in by the Holiday Inn.

Twitter users, who posted the information, added that parents who had lost their children should check the hotel in the off-chance that their children were being kept there.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Terry_Finnegan/status/866789012320784384[/embed]

The information was proven false when the Greater Manchester Police Department released an official statement stating that there were no children left unattended in any of the hotels nearby.

6. A "gunman" seen outside Oldham Hospital shortly after the bombing at the concert.

Most startlingly was a claim that there was a gunman seen outside The Royal Oldham Hospital just moments after the tragedy at Manchester Arena, according to Facebook user Laura Bailey-Wood.

Her post garnered more than 13,000 shares.

The post has since been taken down with Bailey-Wood realising her own mistake, but it was enough to prompt the Daily Express and Daily Star to run stories featuring the news about a gunman.

[embed]https://twitter.com/GMPOldham/status/866816891968299009[/embed]

Both sites have since updated their stories, clarifying their original claims about the gunman's presence.

Be careful what you read, folks.

nicchew@sph.com.sg