The death of a student at the Howard High School for Technology triggered an explosion in social media circles over the past couple of weeks.We saw similar sentiments in postings regarding the shooting of Jeremy McDole.
In a decision that drew anger in some quarters despite being a foregone conclusion, the Attorney General’s office yesterday stated that no prosecutions of Wilmington officers would take place in the McDole case. At the same time, the state harshly criticized the officer who fired a shotgun blast, drawing an equally harsh reaction from the mayor’s office.
Along the way, we saw rumors and much worse posted on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other sites in past months.
The News Journal felt compelled to write a piece on social media posts in the Howard High case, with the throwaway line that the media was involved in spreading rumors and falsehoods.
It took the opportunity to run previously published photos from the McDole shooting on the top of its front page, hardly a way to ease tensions.
Meanwhile, as law enforcement and the Attorney General’s Office remained mom in both cases, unconfirmed reports took on a life of their own.
As many in business have found, social media is today’s equivalent of talking across the back fence, water cooler or street corner. The difference is that rumors and outright lies can spread quickly, rather than bubble up to the surface over a period of weeks.
What can be done?
For those in the mass media, shutting down the comments features is a good idea in volatile situations. Let’s face it – Facebook pages can be populated with more than their share of cranks and racists. Also, we are in an election year.
Even with common-sense practices from the media, those wishing to spread and believe rumors and half truths will find other places to ply their trade.
For their part, law enforcement and prosecutors need to find a way to address the most outrageous rumors and move more quickly to make decisions.
The McDole shooting took place last September, and it was clear for months that no charges would be forthcoming. The prolonged investigation simply allowed the situation to fester as selected tidbits of dubious value continued to leak out .
Meanwhile, it would be a good idea for our media colleagues to avoid the tabloid treatment we saw this week.
