Social media threats targeting CMS are emerging, police say. What can be done to stop them?
As the number of teens who use apps like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat continue to rise, online threats from students directed at Charlotte schools are becoming more common, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officials say.
“There have been numerous threats aimed at CMS schools this school year, “ said CMPD Community Services Division Lt. Stephen Flatt, though figures regarding the number of threats made against CMS were not provided by the department. “They occur on a weekly basis. Often we will get tips on the same cyber threat since they can go viral quickly.”
Police officers were sent to a Charlotte middle school Tuesday after it received a threat that was “posted on a popular website,” the principal said in an email to parents. CMPD deemed the post as a “non-credible threat,” according to the email.
On Dec. 6, officers were on the campus of Alexander Graham Middle School after a picture of a gun with a caption telling students to stay home if they wanted to be safe was shared on Snapchat.
Less than two weeks later, CMS, along with many other school districts in the Charlotte area, worked with law enforcement agencies to address a TikTok challenge designed to encourage students to make violent threats about targeting their classrooms.
In a statement on Twitter, TikTok responded to the challenge saying, “We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we’re working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.”
TikTok has since implemented new tools to automatically remove any uploaded content that might violate its community guidelines.
Although law enforcement has reassured the community these threats are not credible, it can be tough for parents to prevent their children from engaging in these types of activities.
Why do kids follow social media trends?
Megan Workman, a licensed clinical social worker at Thriveworks Counseling in Charlotte, blames the uptick in cyber threats directed at schools on how impressionable kids are, and their desire to fit in.
“I just think kids are easily influenced,” Workman said. “They think, because something is social media, it’s okay for them to follow along, even though there are consequences. And kids aren’t afraid of the consequences.”
“They want to look cool, but unfortunately, putting a gun on TikTok and starting a trend is what’s cool, and that’s not what kids need to be thinking about,” she added.
At least nine teens around the country were arrested for making threats against their schools as part of the December TikTok trend, Newsweek reported.
All threats are violations of the CMS Code of Conduct, and could result in suspensions and criminal charges, according to a statement released by the district the same month.
What can parents do?
Flatt said the best way to prevent your child from participating in dangerous trends is to monitor their social media activity.
“Be aware of your children’s social media accounts, who they are friends with, and the activity they participate in online,” he said.
There are tools parents can use to keep an eye on their children’s social media accounts, Workman said, like Bark and Qustodio, that provide content filters and website blockers designed so kids can only view and share age-appropriate content.
TikTok and Instagram have privacy control settings that you can set up from your child’s account to provide a safer experience on the app. That, however, can easily be changed, Workman said.
“Parents really need to educate themselves about these apps, because that’s one of the best ways you’re going to be able to protect your children,” Workman said. “There are parenting groups that are out there to educate and help them learn how to approach their children about this, because it is becoming a very serious problem.”
Talking to children about the potential dangers of posting threats on social media – even if they are meant to be pranks – can also be helpful, Workman said.
“The more you talk to your kids, the more likely you are to have open dialogue and just educate them on what is safe and unsafe on social media,” said Workman. “There’s a lot of secrets with kids and their parents with social media, but parents can set boundaries like limiting their child’s screen time.”
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 5:17 PM.
