Robert Aaron Long's FB rant on anti-China 'Covid-19 cover up' before shooting spree confirmed as 'fake'
Social media users have been looking into the man who opened the Atlanta spa shootings. The 'Daily Mao' Twitter account was one of the many online that made claims about the suspect in the fatal shootings, Robert Aaron Long, saying that he had posted about China engaging in a "Covid-19 cover-up" shortly before the shooting.
The 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long from Woodstock, Georgia, was arrested on March 16 for the fatal shooting of eight people at three spas in and around Atlanta. The shootings, which took place during a rise in violence against Asian-Americans, took the lives of six women of Asian descent. It has led many to believe that it was a race-based hate crime.
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While the police were still investigating the matter, social media users took it upon themselves to sift through Long's Internet history looking for clues to his political affiliations. One such account going by the name of Daily Mao, posted a screenshot purporting to show the suspected Atlanta shooter taking to Facebook to share an anti-China rant.
The photo, however, is fake, the social media platform confirmed. The Twitter post from the account has also now been deleted. Facebook’s Policy Communications Director Andy Stone confirmed the screen capture was fake. "Yes, these screenshots are fake and we’re removing them from the platform for violating our policies," Stone tweeted.
Yes, these screenshots are fake and we’re removing them from the platform for violating our policies.
— Andy Stone (@andymstone) March 17, 2021
There were also clues in the screenshot that one could have picked to tell that the image was actually fake. New York Times reporter Davey Alba noted the many flaws in the image and wrote on Twitter, "PSA: This screenshot of a supposed post by the suspected Atlanta shooter is spreading on social media but it is a hoax. If you look closely at the positioning of the user pic and the Reactions, you'll see the graphics are misaligned. This is manipulated media. (H/T @btdecker)"
Alba added, "And please, please make sure to think about the ACCURACY of what you are consuming at this vulnerable point in the news cycle. Things are still breaking, a lot is uncertain. Don't jump to assumptions, and don't share something if you don't personally know it is accurate."
And please, please make sure to think about the ACCURACY of what you are consuming at this vulnerable point in the news cycle. Things are still breaking, a lot is uncertain. Don't jump to assumptions, and don't share something if you don't personally know it is accurate.
— Davey Alba (@daveyalba) March 17, 2021
Soon enough, accusations against the Twitter account Daily Mao started doing the rounds. "Oh Christ, so it's the Daily Mao behind this. So he wanted to capitalize on this tragedy in order to make it seem as if this was a consequence of rising US-China tensions," adding, "I doubt he cares, but circulating this sort of disinformation, in fact, hurts attempts to call out anti-Asian racism in the US."
Oh Christ, so it's the Daily Mao behind this. So he wanted to capitalize on this tragedy in order to make it seem as if this was a consequence of rising US-China tensionshttps://t.co/HOjAQ48TCv
— Brian Hioe 丘琦欣 (@brianhioe) March 17, 2021
I doubt he cares, but circulating this sort of disinformation, in fact, hurts attempts to call out anti-Asian racism in the US
— Brian Hioe 丘琦欣 (@brianhioe) March 17, 2021
It took no time for Daily Mao's tweet to go viral. But shortly afterward, the account posted a follow-up message in a now-deleted tweet, saying, "My source can't find the original post from the shooter anymore either, so we should treat this as unverified for now. Josh recommends not sharing it until confirmed - and I agree. This is a sensitive moment. We should be careful."