BERLIN — An after-school fight last week at a Berlin fast-food restaurant and a racist online post, which has since been deleted, cast a renewed light on the dangers of social media, but a grassroots effort is underway to explore ways the community can curb the growing problem.
Late last week, two Stephen Decatur students were involved in a serious fight after school at the McDonalds on Route 50, the seeds of which were allegedly planted by social network postings. Around the same time in an unrelated incident, a particularly offensive photo with racist and anti-Semitic overtones posted on Instagram was ultimately deleted, but not before making its rounds through the student body’s social media network.
The two unrelated incidents have raised awareness in the community about the growing dangers of the Internet and social media from a youth safety standpoint. The after-school fight and the posting of the racially-charged Instagram picture are only two examples of the use of social media by local teens to promote an unsafe environment in the area.
Unfortunately, youth are increasingly preyed upon by social media. Just last week, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office announced its initiative “Operation Worcester Safety Net” has resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals in the county who were using the Internet in an attempt to engage in sexual content with minors or share child pornography.
While most agree the Internet in general and social media specifically are useful tools for communication and the dissemination of positive ideas, unfortunately, all too often, they are being used for negative purposes. It’s something parents, law enforcement, school officials and the community in general are keenly aware of, but are challenged to stem or halt altogether.
In terms of the after-school fight involving two teens last week, it appears the incident had its roots in earlier social media postings. Of course, as long as there have been teens and high schools, there have been after-school fights for various reasons, but the proliferation of social media in recent years has often accelerated and intensified the situations. Worcester County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Neil Adams said this week the department is currently investigating the incident.
“Initially, we got a call for a fight involving two individuals at the McDonalds and our deputies responded,” he said. “Every day when school lets out, students migrate over there just as kids would at any school with a fast-food restaurant nearby. One of our deputies got a copy of the video and the whole thing lasted about 20 seconds but it was pretty serious. Both kids involved were juveniles and we’re continuing to investigate to see if there are any charges to file.”
Adams said the department is also exploring the role social media had in promoting and perhaps intensifying the situation. As a result, the Sheriff’s Office has stepped up its presence around Decatur before and after school, as evidenced by the two patrol cars observed in the fast-food restaurant parking lot this week around the time school lets out.
“We’ve also heard concerns that this could lead to something bigger and so we’re currently investigating and adding resources and extra manpower in the area before and after school,” he said. “Everyone has been warned about the use of social media to promote this kind of thing, and we’re trying to deter this from becoming something larger with high visibility and extra monitoring.”
Of course, monitoring social media presents challenges for all involved. Naturally, it starts with parenting and parents and guardians have a responsibility to attempt to monitor the Internet activities of their children. Beyond that, law enforcement, the school system and the community have to share in the vigilance. To that end, one local parent has started a grassroots effort to raise community awareness about the dangers of social media and the Internet when it comes to child safety.
Christina Ager, in the wake of last week’s incident, has begun an effort to raise the community’s awareness of the dangers with her “I’m In” campaign that challenges people to get involved, which appears to be gaining traction. Ager’s efforts, ironically nurtured through her own Facebook page, calls for increased awareness against the dangers of cyberbullying and the spread of hate on social media, but also on the dangers of youth becoming prey to a criminal element that trolls sites and social media networks.
“I think we need to focus on the issue as a whole including the dangers of the Internet,” Ager said this week. “The more creeps we get off the street, the safer the Internet might become. The issue at Stephen Decatur is how do we protect and educate our youth about social media, how to hold kids accountable for their actions, how the community can help and where we can go to become educated.”
Ager said many youth don’t understand the possible repercussions of their Internet activities and social network postings.
“Many children don’t realize that when they post a picture or a video on line, there is a lot more information attached that the prying eye can see,” she said. “We need to become united. Some parents are afraid to speak up.”
Ager has reached out to Worcester County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Alex Kagan and other law enforcement officials to help explore ways to carefully monitor inappropriate Internet activity and be proactive to attempt to prevent future incidents. Kagan, who is instrumental in the “Operation Worcester Safety Net,” said this week monitoring the Internet activity of area students presents challenges, but is an important and worthwhile undertaking.
“Unfortunately, technology is moving at such a rapid pace that it seems that there are always victims before laws are put in place to protect them,” he said. “The 2013 Maryland Legislative Session did pass Grace’s Law. It directly relates to cyber bullying and makes it a misdemeanor to use an interactive computer service to maliciously engage in a certain course of conduct that inflicts serious emotional distress on a minor or places a minor in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury.”
Grace’s Law is named for a Howard County teen who committed suicide after she was bullied online. The law makes it a misdemeanor to repeatedly or maliciously use a computer or cell phone to bully somebody under the age of 16. The victim’s parents said they tried to stop the malicious messages, but police and courts told them there was little they could do.
Kagan said he is already working with Ager locally and her growing list of “I’m In” supporters to enforce what is already on the books and possibly pursue new legislation.
“I think Ms. Ager and I would both like to raise awareness of the dangers of the Internet and social media, especially regarding cyber bullying and sexual exploitation of children,” he said. “In addition, I am looking to gain support in my efforts to locate and prosecute sexual predators.”
The Worcester County school system recognizes both the importance and the potential dangers associated with students and social media. In the wake of two incidents involving local students last week, Coordinator of Special Programs and Public Relations Barb Witherow said this week the school system is cognizant of the problems and has procedures in place to handle them.
“If used responsibly, social media can serve as a powerful, positive communication and education tool,” she said. “Most of also recognize that is used improperly and to hurt others, social media can have negative, even devastating consequences.”
Witherow said educating students on the proper use of social media presents challenges.
“Since social media is part of everyday life for many teenagers and youth, it is essential that the community work together to help young people learn what appropriate social media etiquette is and what is not,” she said. “Misuse of social media is not just a family problem or a school problem, it’s a community problem.”
However, monitoring students during school hours is one thing, but regulating what happens after hours is another.
“For school, social media activity by students is difficult to govern because it almost always occurs outside of the school day and off of school property,” she said. “Almost all policies and procedures associated with student codes of conduct address infractions or suspected infractions that occur on school property, school buses or at a school-sponsored event. Social media activity that is disruptive to the school environment, no matter where it originates, is a matter of great concern and requires action.”
Witherow said when a school is made aware of social media activity that is disruptive to the school environment, several actions are taken. For example, the student involved is immediately interviewed to investigate the activity and parents are contacted and informed of the activity. Every effort is made to have inappropriate postings deleted.
The consequences are determined based on a student’s previous violations, the severity of the activity and the specifics gleaned from the investigation. If criminal activity is suspected, law enforcement is contacted. A student may be referred to school counseling or services available in the community, depending on the outcome of the investigation.
“Cases brought to our attention are addressed using the protocol,” Witherow said. “It is absolutely essential that our schools have environments where all students feel safe and respected.”