×

Social media continues to complicate, aggravate situations

Parents are certainly well aware of the bomb threat at Central Campus this week.

In fact, many parents, other people and media were probably well aware of it while it was happening, as students with access to email and (primarily it seems) social media were virtually live-streaming everything that happened at the school and throughout the evacuation.

Some questions to consider: How much of the story that parents and interested parties were receiving was accurate? How much of the information floating out on social media caused more alarm than necessary? How many people reacted in a certain fashion because of rumors and misinformation posted to social media? Was the situation made more dangerous because of misinformation disseminated online?

Minot Daily News was already hearing wrong information via social media directed at us, and even directly from students inside the school, before Minot police sent out to all media a notice to post clarifying the situation. This isn’t because Minot cops were slow to react; they did a fine job of making sure they had real information and then sharing with media to get the word out. But social media is simply faster, rumors spread in schools faster than almost any other environment, and students are notoriously adept at social media.

It isn’t fair to say that incomplete information or misinformation prompted any mass panic. However, it could have. How easy would it be for a plausible rumor to explode as accepted truth via social media? Now, consider the ramification of a rumor gone rampant involves immediate danger to Minot children. At the very least, we would be looking at real anxiety and the possible distraction from addressing whatever nugget of truth there might have been that prompted the virulent rumor.

There’s no obvious solution to this potential challenge. Parents need to be both vigilant when it comes to monitoring the safety and security of their children; and like everyone else these days, also wary of information in social media from unofficial sources.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today