TikTok is a popular social media app that allows users to create and share short videos. It has become known for viral trends and challenges, where users create videos based on a common theme or format. These can spread rapidly on TikTok, with millions of people participating within days (Source). Recently, a concerning new trend emerged on TikTok – threats of violence against schools. Videos with alarming warnings of school shootings and bomb threats started circulating widely, causing panic and disruption across the country.
Origin of the Threat
The TikTok school threat first appeared in December 2021, when rumors of a nationwide threat to schools circulated on the social media platform TikTok. According to the Charlotte Observer, the threat encouraged students to bring weapons to school on December 17, 2021 (1). This threat spread rapidly on TikTok and through word-of-mouth, causing great concern among administrators, teachers, parents and students across the country.
While the origins are unclear, some reports suggest the threat may have originated on TikTok from an account claiming to be a student in Arizona who was warning others about a threat to schools on December 17. However, law enforcement found no credible evidence behind the threat. Nonetheless, it quickly gained traction on social media and in local communities as students, school officials and parents took cautionary measures in response.
Within days, the TikTok school threat had been seen by millions nationwide. Its spread was enabled by TikTok’s powerful algorithm that can rapidly amplify certain types of content. The threat also spread through other social media platforms and communication channels as people warned each other about the rumored planned attacks on schools.
Nature of the Threat
The threat first surfaced in late December 2022, when posts circulated on TikTok warning of supposed violence planned for schools across the U.S. on December 17th. The alarming messages claimed there would be nationwide school shootings and bomb threats that day. While the threats were ultimately deemed not credible by law enforcement, the viral nature of the concerning posts on TikTok caused widespread fear and disruption.
The posts seem to have originated from a viral TikTok trend where users made alarming warnings about supposed future school attacks, challenging others to repost. However, according to law enforcement and cybersecurity experts, there was no evidence of any coordinated plans for actual violence. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security stated the warnings “are not based on intelligence regarding any specific, credible threats.”
While concerning, the threats appeared to follow a troubling TikTok trend of “provocative posts without a specific or credible threat” according to John Cohen, former U.S. counterterrorism coordinator. Still, officials and educators took them seriously given the climate of fear following recent mass shootings. The viral, non-specific nature of the threats made assessing credibility difficult, though ultimately no planned school attacks materialized.
Reaction to the Threat
The viral TikTok posts warning of school shootings and bomb threats on December 17 led to a widespread reaction from schools, police, and TikTok itself. Many school districts across the country responded by increasing security and police presence or closing schools on December 17 as a precautionary measure [1]. Some police departments said they would increase patrols around schools, while others deemed the threats not credible and encouraged families to report anything suspicious [2].
TikTok released a statement saying it was working with law enforcement but found no evidence of credible threats. TikTok said it was removing content and accounts sharing warnings to avoid spreading alarm [2]. Some experts believe TikTok could have done more to get ahead of the viral threats and warn users.
Impact and Consequences
The viral TikTok trend resulted in hundreds of schools across the country taking precautions and increasing security measures. Though the threats were ultimately deemed not credible, many school districts chose to close schools for one or more days as a precautionary measure. According to an NPR analysis, at least 36 school districts in 17 states closed schools because of the TikTok challenge. This disrupted learning for thousands of students.
Some of the school districts that closed schools include Detroit Public Schools in Michigan, Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, the School District of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and schools in Washington state, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, and California, among others. The closures ranged from one-day shutdowns to closures spanning multiple days.
In addition to school closures, many schools opted for increased police presence, security searches, and cancellations of after-school activities. Several arrests were made of students accused of making threats, resulting in charges of making terroristic threats. However, authorities stated that most threats were not credible and no violent incidents ultimately occurred at schools because of the viral TikTok challenge.
Expert Perspectives
Many school security experts and law enforcement officials have weighed in on the threats circulating on TikTok. John Cohen, a former U.S. Department of Homeland Security counterterrorism coordinator, said the threats should be taken seriously even if they originated as a hoax. “Every threat needs to be evaluated separately,” he said. “It takes very little effort for someone with bad intentions to introduce a threat.” https://news.tulane.edu/pr/tiktok-threat-national-security
Police departments across the country said they planned to increase patrols and security around schools in response to the threats. “We prepare for any possible crisis that may arise within our schools,” said Officer Darryl McSwain, spokesman for Maryland’s Montgomery County Police Department. Law enforcement officials urged the public to report any suspicious activity immediately. https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/tiktok-privacy-threat-sure-so-are-most-your-smartphone-apps-n1233625
The threats highlighted the need for comprehensive school safety plans, said Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services. “Schools should have updated crisis response plans to address bomb threats, active shooter situations, and other emergencies,” he said. Despite the likely hoax origins, Trump said every threat must be taken seriously until proven otherwise. https://www.rubio.senate.gov/rubio-gallagher-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-ban-tiktok/
Lessons Learned
This incident highlighted some important lessons about school security and social media trends in America. School districts need to be extra vigilant about potential threats circulating online and have proactive plans in place to address them. The threats, while often not credible, can quickly gain traction on social media and cause unnecessary stress and disruption across schools nationally.
Experts advise that school administrators should establish open communication channels with local law enforcement to assess threats and determine proper responses (Washington Post). They should also have emergency protocols ready in case a school does need to be closed or locked down. Clear communication with parents is also essential throughout the process.
On the social media side, platforms like TikTok need stronger content moderation, especially around dangerous challenges or threats. The viral nature of social media can fan the flames of rumors and hoaxes, requiring thoughtful oversight policies. Students should also learn about being responsible digital citizens and not spreading harmful viral content.
This TikTok school threat offers crucial insights for the education community. Improving school safety requires vigilance on developing online threats and smart emergency plans. Social media platforms must also take responsibility for dangerous viral content. With the right preparation and policies, schools can keep students secure both online and off.
TikTok’s Response
TikTok moved quickly to address the viral threat, stating that they were working with law enforcement but found no evidence of credible threats.1 They emphasized that the warnings about December 17 threats likely originated as a challenge among TikTok users to skip school rather than as legitimate threats of violence.2
In response to the viral threat, TikTok announced several policy changes, including removing content that promotes school skipping or violence. They stated they would be monitoring hashtags and redirecting phrases like “school shooter” to resources aimed at helping people in crisis.3 TikTok also emphasized their commitment to user safety and encouraged people to report concerning content on the platform.
Preventing Future Threats
There are several ways that schools and authorities can be proactive in preventing future social media threats like the TikTok school shooting and bomb threat.
Schools should have clear policies and procedures in place for handling any threats made online. They should establish reporting channels and response protocols. Students and parents should be educated on what constitutes a credible threat and the importance of promptly notifying authorities.
Law enforcement can work closely with social media platforms to quickly identify threats and the individuals behind them. According to Proofpoint, authorities can subpoena companies to trace IP addresses and identify suspects. Social media platforms should constantly improve algorithms to detect violent speech and emerging threats.
At the district and school level, authorities can monitor social media for concerning content and be ready to rapidly escalate credible threats. They can also share threat information across districts to coordinate responses. Ongoing community engagement and anonymous tip lines can help surface threats early.
Students should be taught about responsible social media use, the impact of threats, and the consequences of making them. Schools can provide resources to students struggling with bullying, mental health issues, or other challenges. A positive school climate and trusted student-staff relationships help prevent at-risk behavior.
With vigilance and collaboration among all stakeholders, authorities can act swiftly against social media threats while addressing root causes and helping troubled youth before threats emerge.
Conclusion
In summary, the TikTok school shooting and bomb threat that went viral in September 2022 caused widespread fear and disruption across schools in the United States. While the threats were ultimately deemed not credible by law enforcement, the incident highlights some of the unique challenges social media can pose in spreading misinformation and panic. Many critics argued TikTok failed to respond quickly enough to quell the rumors, pointing to the need for improved safety measures and moderation on social platforms. Nonetheless, authorities and school administrators were able to implement heightened security protocols and lockdowns to keep students and educators safe. Going forward, this event underscores the importance of media literacy education, so students can identify credible threats and exercise good judgement online. Parents, schools, law enforcement, and technology companies will need to work together to prevent such viral hoaxes from causing undue alarm in the future.
