Fact File: Clickbait pages spread false information about Tumbler Ridge survivor

VANCOUVER – Multiple Facebook pages are claiming to share updates on the condition of a girl who survived a British Columbia school shooting in February, including that she is talking or has died. The posts are false, and come from Facebook “clickbait” pages that seek to divert users to external websites for the purpose of collecting advertising revenue.

THE CLAIM

The deadly school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., on Feb. 10 brought worldwide attention to the small town, its victims and survivors — some as young as 12.

The odds-defying survival of 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head, is capturing attention on social media, with her parents providing frequent updates on Facebook about the girl’s condition. 

But some Facebook pages unaffiliated with the family have been sharing false information about her progress since the shooting. 

“Maya Gebala wakes up and speaks for the first time,” claims a March 15 post from the page “Telly Chatter.” 

Multiple other
posts claimed Maya had spoken her first words since her injury. 

Another post from the “BritView Pulse” Facebook page claimed on March 23 that Maya had died, but the page then continued to post updates about her recovery.

THE FACTS
 

Maya’s parents, Cia Edmonds and David Gebala, regularly share updates about her progress on their social media pages.

In a post to Facebook and X on Tuesday, Gebala said his daughter has transferred out of intensive care and into a “recovery and rehab-focused unit.”

He said Maya seems to be in less pain and is exhibiting more energy and “colour,” adding that she was able to sit up with help and he was “finally” able to wrap his arms around her.

In February, Edmonds addressed a rumour that Maya was talking. 

“She has a breathing tube in her throat, she’s completely incapable of talking,” the mother wrote. “It’s unfortunate that people are interested in making fake stories about her.” There is no indication from subsequent posts that Maya has spoken.

Many of the Facebook posts about Maya include a story link in the comments, which directs users to an external website. The websites are littered with advertisements, and the text of the “articles” appears to be AI-generated, with few details and sources of information.

Most of the Facebook pages appear to be based in Vietnam, and they bear the hallmarks of foreign “clickbait” networks that seek to drive traffic to their websites and earn ad revenue through users’ clicks. 

Last spring, Facebook’s parent company Meta said it was “cracking down” on spam content by removing monetization and giving spammers’ posts less visibility on users’ feeds.

The Canadian Press previously reported on clickbait tactics on Facebook and YouTube that used spam networks and actors to promote false or misleading stories.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2026.