‘Anonymity online is an illusion’: NSW teen charged over alleged mass shooting hoax in US

<p>Police say the boy is part of an alleged decentralised online crime network falsely claiming mass shootings are taking place</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jan/13/anthony-albanese-labor-hate-speech-laws-politics-coalition-sussan-ley-adelaide-festival-writers-week-reactions-victoria-bushfires-queensland-floods-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>A teenager in New South Wales was charged after allegedly making multiple hoax reports to emergency services – a practice known as “swatting” – falsely claiming mass shootings were taking place at major retail and educational institutions in the US.<br><br>
The Australian federal police (AFP) charged the boy on 18 December, claiming he is part of an alleged decentralised online crime network hiding behind keyboards in order to trigger an “urgent and large-scale emergency response”.</p><p>Officers seized a number of electronic devices and a prohibited firearm in the juvenile’s possession as part of Taskforce Pompilid established in October 2025.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/13/nsw-teen-charged-over-alleged-mass-shooting-hoax-usa-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →