The social media application Yik Yak appears to be being used this week to target schools with threats of possible violent events.
Today, The University of Georgia in Athens was the latest of four targeted over the past several days. According to the school newspaper The Red and Black , the following message was sent via Yik Yak:
“If you want to live, don’t be at the MLC (Miller Learning Center) at 12:15.”
Within the hour, the all clear was given by local first responders and the situation resumed to normal.
***UPDATE*** Arrest made in University of Georgia "Yik Yak" violent threat.
Yesterday a similar threat went out via Yik Yak at Indiana State University in Terra Haute. It reportedly read, "I wonder if this school shooting is going to go as planned tomorrow." (Tomorrow meaning Thursday.) Thus far what differs between the two events is that a second alert went out at Indiana State. The timing of posts to Yik Yak were both roughly around 12:00 noon.
Yesterday a similar threat went out via Yik Yak at Indiana State University in Terra Haute. It reportedly read, "I wonder if this school shooting is going to go as planned tomorrow." (Tomorrow meaning Thursday.) Thus far what differs between the two events is that a second alert went out at Indiana State. The timing of posts to Yik Yak were both roughly around 12:00 noon.
***UPDATE*** Arrest made in Indiana State University "Yik-Yak" violent threat.
In Yorktown, New York on Wednesday a 15-year-old Yorktown High School student used Yik Yak near the high school campus and posted anonymously that the "school would explode," According to the report,
In Yorktown, New York on Wednesday a 15-year-old Yorktown High School student used Yik Yak near the high school campus and posted anonymously that the "school would explode," According to the report,
"The app's posts can only be viewed by other users within a 1 ½-mile
radius, police said. But police used GPS tracking associated with the
smartphone app to zero in on the boy's home. Yik Yak assisted with the
investigation."
On Tuesday September 16th, another 15-year-old, this time in Mount Sinai, New York was arrested. "Police said the ninth grader used a social media app called Yik Yak
to make the threats. He allegedly posted that there would be a shooting
at the school and then he was “going to blow it up” on Tuesday."
A statement was released by Yik Yak in regards to the event in Mount Sinai: “Yik Yak was created to provide users with a forum for positive,
hyper-local interactions. We strongly discourage any misuse, and make a
point to monitor traffic and work with law enforcement and other
officials when posts are violent in nature. In this instance, we
immediately helped Suffolk County police identify the location of the
individual to help with the investigation and arrest.”
This post is ongoing...stay tuned for updates.
For a comprehensive and well written examination of Yik Yak and it's pitfalls see the following article April 18th, 2014 from The Lafayette @ Lafayette College.
For a comprehensive and well written examination of Yik Yak and it's pitfalls see the following article April 18th, 2014 from The Lafayette @ Lafayette College.
https://www.lafayettestudentnews.com/blog/2014/04/18/yik-yak-attack/
And, just two days ago this article in The Pendulum @ Elon University in North Carolina was posted.
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1 comment:
Is there a common denominator among these schools? It doesn't seem to be so, but let me list each school's mascot to begin to look for one.
University of Georgia – Bulldog;
Indiana University – Sycamore Sam (a large, fox-like creature) - also teams called "Rex" (as in "king");
Yorktown (NY) High School – Huskers (literally, "corn," as in "children of the corn"?);
Mt. Sinai (NY) High School – Mustang;
Lafayette College – Panther;
Elon University – Phoenix (with logo/mascot appearing to be a trident).
Loren Coleman
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