Nameless posts on US military community page in Germany causing harm and havoc

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — Anonymous content shared in one of the largest online forums serving the U.S. military community in Bavaria has spilled into the real world, prompting investigations and threatening the livelihoods of local business owners.

The private Facebook group Graf/Vilseck Uncensored Anonymous Vents has grown to more than 9,000 members since its creation under a different name in 2015, making it a major online gathering place for the two base communities.

The page proudly advertises itself as having “absolutely no admins.” On any given day, the material there ranges from announcements about lost pets and job openings to community news and opinions of local businesses and military leadership.

But a review of posts from the past six months found that the group has also increasingly become a forum for anonymous, often unsubstantiated accusations and rumors, which have prompted investigations both on and off base.

In March, an accusation against a local tattoo shop led to threats against its owner and a police investigation, while a false rumor about a 2nd Cavalry Regiment colonel prompted a military inquiry.

Then in May, an online dispute resulted in a bomb threat against a bar, forcing the business to temporarily close while German police searched the building.

Supporters argue that forums like the Graf/Vilseck group provide a place to seek information, ask questions or voice concerns they might otherwise keep private.

But anonymity also makes it difficult to hold users accountable when accusations cross into threats and harassment. And in the group at issue, it’s not clear whether anyone is in charge.

Business threats

The consequences were personal for Carolina Annis, who has spent decades working alongside the U.S. military community in Germany. In 2022, she opened the Witches Loft tattoo shop just outside the U.S. installation in Grafenwoehr.

The business serves a primarily American clientele and relies heavily on word of mouth, with customers recommending her shop to U.S. personnel who regularly rotate through the area.

That reputation came under attack in March, when an American client anonymously accused her of stealing a cash deposit after claiming that the tattoo artist was a no-show.

Annis said the conversation quickly escalated into threats, including some saying that she deserved to be beaten.

“The exact term was, ‘She needs her ass whooped until she returns the money,’” Annis said. 

Commenters urged the customer to report Annis to police, which he did, she said.

The investigation found no evidence of theft, and records showed that the artist was present and that the shop had repeatedly tried to return the deposit, according to Annis.

“His deposit is still sitting here,” Annis said.

While the investigation ended, Annis said her fear over the threatening comments did not.

Command rumors

Around the same time, another rumor from the group was causing problems inside the gates.

Anonymous group members circulated claims that a colonel assigned to Vilseck’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment had been removed from command for sexual and professional misconduct, including sleeping with an assistant.

The claims originated in a March 18 post by “justanothergruntt,” an unofficial Instagram account focused on the regiment, and were later reposted to the much larger Facebook group.

The Instagram post, styled as a text message beginning with “2CR UPDATE,” did not name the colonel. But because the regimental commander is the only colonel in the unit, many Facebook users concluded that the allegations referred to him and circulated the claims as such.

Sources familiar with the matter told Stars and Stripes that an investigation had determined the allegations were false. Even so, the rumor prompted internal meetings to address and dispel the misinformation.

U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria officials have also become familiar with the page, which they monitor.

“These are private groups, and the Army has no control over those posts or conversations,” said Mark Heeter, a spokesperson for Installation Management Command Europe. 

“We can and do share posts that correct misinformation, tamp down rumors, or provide context or the garrison’s perspective on issues or concerns,” Heeter said.

Bomb threat

In May, an anonymous user issued a bomb threat against the Undecided Bar, located just blocks away from Annis’ tattoo shop.

The threat, which came during an online dispute between members of the page, prompted police to temporarily close the bar while the premises were searched. No bomb was found.

The bar’s management later released a statement lamenting that local businesses in Grafenwoehr “have unfortunately become accustomed to anonymous online gossip, slander and repeated attempts to damage reputations.”

“This situation has crossed a serious line,” the statement added.

Police believe the threat likely originated in the United States, and by June, investigators told Stars and Stripes that the case had been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division in Weiden.

The bar’s management did not respond to several requests for comment.

Legal limits

Anonymity does not necessarily shield military personnel from consequences for their actions online.

Army regulations warn that certain online misconduct can be punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Family members are encouraged to follow similar standards.

Personnel stationed in Germany also remain subject to German law under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement and related compacts. 

German and European data protection rules can also apply to anonymous online posts when personal information is made publicly available in Europe, according to Michael Will, president of the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision.

Whether someone posts anonymously, under a pseudonym or under their real name does not change the underlying protections, though anonymity can make those protections more difficult to enforce, Will said.

Depending on the circumstances, online harassment, defamation or unauthorized sharing of personal information can violate German law, including privacy and data protection provisions. 

In Annis’ case, she reported the threats to local police but was told that identifying the anonymous users could prove difficult, particularly when Americans were involved.

False statements about people online can also potentially violate criminal law, Will said, adding that online platforms bear some responsibility for preventing illegal content from spreading.

And while there have been no cases of misconduct that have carried punishment in Bavaria, commands have the latitude of applying consequences to those who misuse social media, Heeter said.

No moderators

Rowdy Facebook groups serving military communities are hardly unique to Bavaria. 

Similar anonymous online groups exist throughout large military locales in the United States, including Fort Campbell, Fort Hood and Fort Bragg, as well as at other prominent garrisons across Europe and the Pacific. 

But unlike others, the Graf/Vilseck page’s administrator and moderator section appeared blank when reviewed by Stars and Stripes, despite a policy by Facebook parent company Meta that requires group pages to state who runs them.

Several longtime members said its last known moderator left in December.

The lack of apparent moderation became an issue earlier this year after an anonymous account called “Gossip Soldier” began posting salacious rumors about affairs and other allegations of misconduct involving members of the community.

As members tried to determine who was behind the account, some began posting photographs and other personal information of women they claimed were behind the account. At least five women — service members and civilians — were publicly identified on July 23 without evidence they were behind it.

Other members reported the posts and called for them to be removed, saying the women and their families were being harassed. As of August, the posts remained visible.

Garrison officials try to contact group administrators when concerns about such groups come up, Heeter said. But it remains unclear who, if anyone, currently manages the Bavaria page.

Such groups “can be helpful, but they must be moderated very closely. That requires time and effort,” said one user of Reddit’s popular r/Army forum, commenting on a similar issue.

For local business owners like Annis, the damage can be difficult to undo.

“You can destroy somebody’s life with that. … There (have) been people that have killed themselves over online defamation and name-calling,” Annis said. 

If any other customers have a dispute with her business, Annis hopes they will handle it face to face.

“I would wish for them to come speak to us,” she said.

Stars and Stripes reporter Marcus Kloekner contributed to this article.