A violent and tragic news story circulating on the internet Wednesday caught many locals by surprise. Thankfully, it turned out to be a fake. The news source, touting itself as “Breaking Daily News”, claimed that a domestic dispute in Vernal left a woman dead, her three children wounded and a boyfriend arrested. Those that clicked on it or around the site for more information were redirected to spam including adult themed websites. “This is one of the biggest problems on the internet,” shares Techris Design owner and technology expert Ted Munford. “Always check for sources and look for red flags like typos and a lack of specifics in a story. If it doesn’t look legit, move away, close the site and try to search for a more reputable source for the content.” Munford also recommends having a good antivirus and antispyware on your computer but to remember you have to use safe practices while perusing the internet as well. “An antivirus is kind of a like a seatbelt,” says Munford. “To avoid personal injury you have to wear a seatbelt AND practice safe driving. If you surf adult content or ‘too good to be true’ ads then that is not traveling safe on the internet and your computer could run into trouble quick.”
Kristen Baldwin
