Login to Continue Learning
Multiple posts on X this week have spread a claim that a U.K. police department asked residents of the small English village of Dean for their social media details to pass onto U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s security team.
Vance is currently vacationing in the U.K., staying near Dean, a popular getaway spot in the Cotswolds. Thames Valley Police and a spokesperson for Vance have denied these claims.
The Observer reported on August 9 that an unnamed dog walker from Dean said police had knocked on every door asking for names and social media details of everyone living there. The source stated they knew several people refused to provide this information, questioning the purpose of it all. The article noted the claim was for JD Vance’s security detail.
Marc Owen Jones, a professor specializing in disinformation and digital authoritarianism at Northwestern University in Qatar, shared the Observer article on X on August 12, stating that the police were asking local residents for their social media handles to pass onto JD Vance’s security. His post received 1.9 million views as of Thursday morning.
Thames Valley Police denied these claims, telling Newsweek: “No officers were instructed to ask residents about their social media accounts or use.” They stated they held brief, voluntary conversations with residents to understand access needs and facilitate safe movement during the visit, making it clear that no details would be shared outside the police force.
William Martin, Vance’s communications director, called the claims “fake news” on X, stating local police said they did not ask for social media details from anyone.
Newsweek contacted Vance’s office for further comment but received no response.
The ruling is **False**. Thames Valley Police confirmed residents were not asked for their social media information. No details were shared outside the police department during the vice president’s visit to the U.K.
**FACT CHECK BY NEWSWEEK**
