Internet hunt: Styrian Artur fights against misinformation!

Internet hunt: Styrian Artur fights against misinformation!

On June 11, 2025, a tragic shooting occurred at a high school in Graz. This incident not only caused fear and shock, but also brought the dangers of digital violence into focus. A man from southwest Styria, named Artur, became the target of massive hate messages and threats because he had the same name and initials as the perpetrator. Since Tuesday evening, he has been flooded with a storm of attack-oriented messages, which have even spread internationally, including in France.

Artur's friends and acquaintances believe he is the perpetrator, which further escalates the situation. Artur describes disgusting messages and even death threats directed at him, which forced him and his family to spend the night from Tuesday to Wednesday in different locations for safety reasons. According to his own admission, he is very afraid of possible vigilante justice, which illustrates the drastic effects of misinformation on the Internet.

The role of digital violence

Janina Steinert, Professor of Global Health at the Technical University of Munich, emphasizes the far-reaching consequences of such attacks in a study on digital violence. In her research, she shows that almost every second politically active person affected by digital violence had to adapt their communication. This leads to content being changed and platforms being visited less often. Almost one in four women affected have even considered withdrawing completely. These alarming figures illustrate how much digital attacks endanger democratic coexistence, as Yvonne Magwas, CDU member of the Bundestag, warns.

The call for quick action is supported by Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, Managing Director of HateAid. She calls for contact points to be set up within the parties for those affected and for complaints to be consistently pursued. At the same time, there are calls for operators of social media platforms to be more closely bound to the Digital Services Act (DSA) in order to take active action against hate comments and misinformation.

Technological dimension of digital violence

Another phenomenon that contributes to digital violence is face swap apps. They allow users to create images and video material that appear realistic but are not recorded. Social media users can montage faces onto images of other people's bodies, often in a sexualized and non-consensual manner. This happens against the background that the majority of such manipulation is directed against women and often takes the form of non-consensual pornography. Studies show that around 90 to 95% of all deepfakes are in this extremely problematic category.

Without effective protective measures from app operators and politicians, it is to be feared that manipulated content will continue to be distributed unhindered. Artur's case vividly illustrates the far-reaching consequences of digital violence and misinformation - an issue that is also becoming increasingly important in the broader social debate about protecting individuals against such threats.

Artur has now contacted the police, but can only wait for them to take further action while the digital hunt against him continues. His case impressively shows how quickly misinformation spreads on the Internet and the dramatic impact it can have on those who are not involved. The football club Artur belongs to has already responded and organized legal support to assist him during this difficult time.

The relevance of these topics is broader than it might seem at first glance. The public discussion about hate online and the responsibility of platforms is becoming increasingly urgent in order to prevent such incidents in the future.

For more information on digital violence and its effects, visit National Geographic and HateAid.

For detailed reporting on Artur's case, see here oe24.