The action of the Guardia Civil in Ibiza for the dissemination of a traffic control warning on Telegram, which has resulted in an administrative sanction, has brought to the forefront the operation of ANONYMOUS GROUP, one of the most numerous groups on the island dedicated to traffic-related alerts.
ANONYMOUS GROUP has more than 61,000 members. It is used by residents of Ibiza to inform in real time about traffic incidents, traffic jams and the presence of security forces in different parts of the island. The channel introduces itself to its users with a fixed message that defines its purpose: “ANONYMOUS GROUP is a group exclusively for warning”. Among the stated objectives are the location of security forces “in case we need their help”, traffic jam warnings to avoid them and news related to traffic throughout the island of Ibiza.
But, far from being a chaotic space, the group imposes strict rules of operation. It is forbidden to replace the official names of the security forces with nicknames or nicknames, and the acronyms PL (Local Police), PN (National Police), GC (Civil Guard) and Rd (Civil Guard) must always be used . Likewise, messages with license plates, photographs of agents or personal data are not allowed, a warning that is repeated insistently.
No comments
Another key feature of ANONYMOUS GROUP is the express prohibition of commenting, thanking or sending emojis. The group does not allow questions or side conversations: only informative messages. Those who violate these rules may be expelled from the channel, according to the administrators.
This dynamic has allowed the group to function as a real-time bulletin board, especially useful for drivers looking to avoid traffic jams or to find out about incidents on the island’s main and secondary roads.
The message that raised suspicions
The police focus was activated after the detection of messages such as “Control rotonda Santa Eulalia”, one of the recurrent warnings that circulate through the channel. According to the Guardia Civil, this type of communication can compromise the safety of the agents and the success of the operations, which is why a report was drawn up under the Organic Law for the Protection of Public Safety, with penalties ranging from 601 to 30,000 euros.
The investigation led to linking one of these messages to one of the women identified minutes earlier in a traffic control, which resulted in the administrative complaint.
A phenomenon already known in Ibiza
The existence and scope of these groups is not new. La Voz de Ibiza had already reported that thousands of Ibicencos avoid traffic controls thanks to active WhatsApp and Telegram groups, which operate in a similar way and have high citizen participation.
In this context, ANONYMOUS GROUP stands out for its volume and the rigidity of its internal rules, designed – according to its managers – to avoid abuses and legal problems.
Between the utility and the legal limit
For many users, the group is a practical mobility tool, especially on an island with high traffic density in high season. For security forces, however, the dissemination of the exact location of roadblocks can constitute a serious administrative infraction.
The Guardia Civil has reiterated that the unauthorized dissemination of data on police devices is not allowed, recalling that these practices can put both agents and citizens at risk.
