The Dangers of Social Media

Social media has evolved into a tyrant that can rule our perception of ourselves and the people and world around us. It has also turned into a space that can destroy lives in more ways than one. Our society has become dependent on social media as a definer of who we are as individuals and who we are collectively as a society.

Posting the wrong thing online can lead to a slew of repercussions, however many do not fully understand why posting something online can turn ugly as it can be confusing considering our first amendment rights. A United States Supreme Court case, Elonis versus the United States in which a man, Anthony Elonis, was arrested for posting a series of threats through social media, determined what could be considered a convictable offense in regards to posts on social media.

The court case’s conclusion shows that, “the law requires proof of the defendant’s intent to threaten, not negligence or a reasonable listener test,” according to Oyez.org. However, the Elonis case was thrown out as, “the threats were not enough to convict,” according to CNET.com.

This also set a precedent for future cases that are similar. If it is determined by the court that the evidence provided by a prosecutor shows a serious intent, regardless of our first amendment rights, that person can be arrested and convicted.

Recent events in Chester, Pennsylvania show just how frequently these threats are occurring and how seriously they are being taken. A 17-year-old high school student made violent threats on a fake Instagram account about performing a shooting at her school. David Milbourne, 23, responded with threat of similar nature towards the Chester police department after her arrest. Both were arrested and are facing serious charges, according to an article on 6abc.com.

In that same article, it is stated that law enforcement officials, “don’t believe either threat was credible, but say they have to take any potential attack against schools or law enforcement seriously. They warn—if you think you can hide behind a keyboard—think again.”

This shows how what one posts on social media defines them to the public. These threats had no solid evidence proving these individuals could or would carry out these threats. However, due to the way we have ingrained social media into our society, when one posts online, that post is essentially added to a directory of information that defines who they are publically.

There are about 20 million fake Twitter accounts according to NoBullying.com and 83.09 million Facebook accounts according to CNET.com. These facts combined with shows like Catfish prove how misleading social media profiles can be. We as a society have still attached a large emphasis on social media’s power to define someone.

Social media is not going anywhere, so in response it is important to be aware of our online presence. Furthermore, it is necessary that we as a society stay informed about how to conduct ourselves in the virtual world of social media as the laws of the physical world do translate in some form or another.