By Heather Lawrence | [email protected]

Threats posted on social media disrupted schools across Utah and other states in December. A vague threat went viral about something planned at “GHS” on Dec. 17. In Granite District, a Matheson Jr. High student was taken into custody “in connection with a threat” on Dec. 16.

“We’re seeing posts and reshares of content across the state. It’s inundating us this morning. The police have been all over it. These [online threats] are very difficult to track,” said GSD spokesperson Ben Horsley on Dec. 16.

The threats were shared via TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. They caused a “major disruption” to the school day. The district responded with a letter to parents and increased police presence on some campuses.

Horsley said that parents, not schools, are responsible to monitor or restrict students’ social media accounts. 

“There are 62,000 students in our district. We have no way of monitoring social media accounts for all of them. That responsibility falls to the parents,” Horsley said. 

The letter from GSD urged parents to be proactive in learning what social media their kids use. 

"As soon as you are able, please check your student’s smartphone device for any of the following social media platforms: Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok," the GSD letter to parents stated. 

The letter continued, “Tell your children that threatening posts should not be shared, but instead reported immediately to a trusted adult.”

Thankfully, nothing came of the Dec. 17 threat. Horsley said it was vague and lacked credibility, but he reiterated that GSD takes any threat seriously. Threats can always be reported anonymously on the SafeUT app or by calling the Granite Police Department at 801-481-7122. 

Students who make threats “for fun” or “as a joke” can face serious consequences. Criminal charges include a felony charge of making a terrorist threat, and school and district level discipline also apply. 

Those consequences and the possibility of real violence are reminders that parents need to know what their kids are doing online. Technology can be hard to keep up with, but GSD said not knowing how to monitor a child’s account can’t be an excuse. Horsley said parents may have to restrict students’ access until they educate themselves.  

“The frustrating thing is parents who don’t understand the technology, but are allowing their kids access to it, are calling on the school to monitor their kids’ social media accounts. If parents don’t have the ability to monitor a child’s social media, please remove or restrict their access,” Horsley said. 

Legally, minors must be at least 13 years old to create social media accounts. Snapchat’s Terms of Service state, “No one under 13 is allowed to create an account or use the Services. If you are under 18, you may only use the Services with the proper consent of your parent or legal guardian.” Other platforms have similar rules which are agreed to when you click “accept.” 

If your child has created a social media account without your consent, there are ways to delete it if you choose to. If your kids are on a family media or phone plan with you, research how you can monitor their activity. Paid parental control software like Qustodio, Bark and Net Nanny are also available. 

In the case of December’s threat, Granger High principal David Dunn told parents to look for specific usernames. 

“We are looking for a user account on [Snapchat, TikTok or Instagram] that goes by evil eye, serenity or yelizaveta. If you identify any of those user handles, please contact Granite police at any time,” Dunn said. 

Even without specific usernames, parents and guardians should be generally aware. The tip sheet from GSD “Knowing What’s on Your Child’s Smartphone” will give parents an introduction on what to look for. Any threat, bullying, or inappropriate social media use should be reported.