An unfounded internet report about Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas
allegedly seizing two ranches outside of Laredo raised an internet stir
last weekend. Although the Webb (TX) County Sheriff's Department flatly
denied the rumor, public alarm over the report disrupted normal police
functioning. Kimberly Dvorak, a report originator, apparently still
stands by the story.

The report raised a false public alarm, officials explained at a press
conference convened Thursday in response to ongoing issues the story
spawned. Coping with multiple calls to the county jail, Laredo police,
and Webb County Sheriff's Office interfered with the daily department
operations, according to Assistant Chief Pete Arredondo of the Sheriff's
department.

The story, according to false reports on an online right wing newspaper
and echoed on citizen journalism websites and blogs, involved two
ranches in the northwest area of Laredo that Los Zetas, a Mexican
criminal organization, had reportedly "seized." The notices declared
that the allegation was "breaking news," based on anonymous sources that
confirmed the events. It purported a media blackout was covering up the
incident.

Police investigators thoroughly searched the area and found that
residents in question were not even aware of the allegations.

Nevertheless, said Joe Baeza of the Laredo Police, the story took on a
life of its own:

"This is probably a good case study as how far reaching instant media is
and how quickly it can spin out of control."

The fear engendered by the report launched a high volume of calls to the
department swamping the phone lines and impeding normal operations at
the law enforcement offices. Some callers refused to accept police
reassurances and accused them of being part of a cover-up conspiracy.

Right-wing blogger Kim Dvorak was one of those publishing the false
report last weekend. Her post on Allvoices.com, which is still receiving
page views, stands at 3,813 page views (at this writing) with 442
"Likes" from Facebook. The identical report, cross-posted on
Examiner.com, has garnered 354 comments, at least some of which are
highly critical.

Dvorak's post concludes: "Stay tuned for updates (sic) reports
throughout the weekend." However, at the time of this writing, she has
neither retracted nor withdrawn the report from either website. Dvorak
has not responded to inquiries about her story.

Other bloggers, both from the political right and from the left,
repudiated the rumor early last week.

Reports of kidnappings, disappearances and murders of journalists
abound, making Mexico one of the most dangerous countries for this
profession. The void this creates promotes the spread of rumors because
it can become nearly impossible to refute or verify stories that appear
on blogs or other alternative news sites.

In reality law enforcement departments are reporting very little
violence on the US side of the border. Those on the political right who
promote a "secure the border" agenda tend to emphasize, and in this case
fabricate, an illusion of violence. Extremely violent incidents on
Mexico's northern border have, however, now spread to many other places
in Mexico.