When speaking from a police perspective, social media can be either a valuable tool or a platform for criminal activity. On the positive side, it helps the police routinely connect with the community and it helps to quickly share information with a large audience. For example, we might use it to disseminate information regarding a missing person or advise about adverse weather. However, when used by individuals with nefarious intent, it can be a troublesome adversary. Nowadays, it is common for children to have phone and internet access at a young age, and these children could unknowingly put themselves at risk for victimization or intimidation. Some common dangers include: sharing too much information about themselves or others, identity theft, offensive images or messages, cyberbullying, political polarization, and many more.
