MONT BELVIEU, Texas – A Barbers Hill High School graduate and his mother are speaking out against a viral social media post that falsely claimed he was arrested during his graduation ceremony, turning what should have been a celebratory moment into a source of distress.
Spencer Foster’s graduation photo showed him preparing to fist-bump a police officer while walking across the stage to receive his diploma.
However, the image took an unexpected turn when a social media user, claiming to be a comedian with over 150,000 followers, repurposed it with a fabricated caption suggesting Foster had outstanding warrants and was arrested after the ceremony.
“I felt weird. I didn’t really like it because they were really lying on my name... I didn’t really have a warrant,” Foster said.
The false narrative gained significant traction online, accumulating more than 146,000 reactions, nearly 5,000 comments, and 10,500 shares. The post’s reach expanded as larger social media accounts picked up and shared the misleading content.
Queena Foster, Spencer’s mother, who originally shared the graduation photo, confronted the situation head-on.
“The guy who was following me on social media decided to just go and take something and just make it into a mockery. It’s disgusting; it’s a disgrace,” she said.
The situation has been particularly challenging for Spencer, who has received mental health support since age five. The viral post and subsequent online reactions have left him feeling victimized by cyberbullying.
“People are attacking me saying your son is this, he’s that, you’re a poor excuse for a mother, all this other stuff and don’t even know the truth,” Queena Foster explained, describing the backlash she faced.
The Fosters are now advocating for corrections to the viral posts and seeking accountability from those who spread the misinformation. Their experience highlights the real-world consequences of viral misinformation and the need for responsible social media behavior.
The family hopes their story will spark broader discussions about the impact of social media misinformation and the importance of fact-checking before sharing content online.
