preview

Social Media Has Made Us Less Safe

Better Essays

Social media has made us less safe In this age of social media, all our issues as a society finds its way onto the pages of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc.. However, none more poignant than the eroding relationship of everyday American citizens and police commissioned to protect and serve them. Social media has put into the spotlight the behavior of the police as well as the people they serve. Before social media, the events that have flooded the media in recent months, may not have gotten a second glance. However, now every person with a cellphone is a potential witness, willing to share the footage with the world; at the push of a few buttons. Presented with these images, we have to ask ourselves a few obvious questions: Has social …show more content…

Then, actual people began to show up, on the scene and throughout the city of Ferguson. Two New York City policemen are ambushed and slain while on duty. Fore-warned via social media “I will put wings on pigs today.” Posted on Instagram by Ismaael Brinsley, before he attacked officers Wenjian Liu and Rafeal Ramos, while they sat in their patrol car, December 21, 2014(Swift). Events such as these have always been a part of our society, however, social media has made these events more pervasive. Eric Garner, was suspected of selling loose cigarettes on the street corner in Staten Island, NY(MARZULLI). When confronted by police, Eric Garner was forcibly detained and put in a choke-hold. "The use of chokeholds has been banned by the NYPD since 1993”. (Ferdman) Officer Daniel Pantaleo; with the assistance of four other officers, continued to apply pressure to the neck of Eric Garner as the others attempted to forcibly restrain him. Gasps of “I can’t breathe” were heard by those nearby; of which some donning cell phones, recording the ordeal frame by frame. Eric Garner died that day, his last moments caught on cell phone video, blasted out over social media for the world to see. The police officer responsible for choking Mr. Garner, Daniel Pantaleo, was not charged for his murder. Although the coroner ruled it a homicide. The Grand Jury found no reason to indict any officers for the death of Eric Garner. Reporters, Jennifer Smith and

Get Access