Social media is a huge part of many people’s lives, no matter their age. As technology is improving, social media is demonstrating new features such as live feed videos.
These videos can be used in both a clean and nice way, or in a harsh and disgusting way. Many parents use these live videos to display their children as they compete in sports, sing in a concert, play an instrument, or do a crazy trick. Others use it to show an illegal action they took part in or someone else doing something harmful to others.
On April 16, 2017, a man named Steve Stephens posted a video on Facebook under his social media name of Stevie Steve. The video he posted was a shock to many. His video showed him getting out of his car, walking up to an elderly man, saying a couple words, asking how old he was, then shooting and killing him. Ann Berger, Psychology teacher at Pleasant Valley, said, “We live in a narcissistic world, and this just proves that. It is disgusting that people wanted to watch this, and got mad when the video was taken down.”
Not everyone is aware of the dangers of live media. Mackenzie Gropel, senior, said, “When people post harsh videos, I believe they are for attention. Little do they know that their live feed cannot be edited, and is there for everyone to see; including the police. Also, any time anything is posted, it is forever online. It may be removed from a site, but it is always out there since nothing is temporary once posted online.”
Teenagers need to watch what they post and what they view. One may think it is only their personal business, but anyone can find a way to see what you have posted. The internet can be a dangerous and recreational place. Everyone needs to take precautions before posting anything, and think about if there could be any consequences.
