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SUNY Canton students react as college investigates social media threats [Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.](Watertown Daily Times (NY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 24--CANTON -- After a lockdown trapped SUNY Canton students, faculty and staff inside campus buildings Thursday, students evaluated how the college handled the two social media threats that sparked the lockdown. Commuters and residents said Friday that the college could have reacted more quickly to the Yik Yak posts, some saying they feel normalcy will not be regained until the perpetrator is identified. The college received two anonymous messages through the social media app Yik Yak on Thursday, which threatened to kill people. The first threat was posted about midnight, followed by a second just before noon, which led to a seven-hour lockdown and a sweep of campus by law enforcement. SUNY Canton spokesman Gregory E. Kie said law enforcement personnel on several levels are collaborating to discover the identity of the person or persons who made the threats. While the perpetrator is still unknown at this point, he said, several leads are being investigated. "We're working with local county, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including national cybersecurity offices, to investigate the threats," Mr. Kie said. "Representatives from Homeland Security, the FBI, the State University of New York Police and the cyber crimes unit of the state police are working with our own University Police and other partner law enforcement agencies on this investigation." Although the college has not decided whether to ban the app from campus, it will be keeping a close eye on social media, Mr. Kie said. "Campus officials will continue to monitor social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Yik Yak, not just for potential threats, but for feedback and observations about people's security concerns," Mr. Kie said. Students on campus Friday had mixed reactions to Thursday's scare. Noah O. Jameson, 21, a criminal investigation major and campus resident, called for a quicker response, describing Thursday's incidents as a "huge threat." "It should have been handled more promptly," he said, but cautioned that acting too quickly would give perpetrators too much power. "We can't just shut down the school for every single threat we get," Mr. Jameson said. While he said he feels safe, he described Thursday's events as unnerving, reporting that many students had left for home Friday, leaving seats in classes empty. "They don't want to come to campus until they know that they're safe," he said, and argued that Yik Yak shouldn't be banned because one or more people used it inappropriately. "It's a fun thing, it's a new thing, but it was used in a wrong way." Julia R. Wais, 20, a veterinary technology major who lives on campus, said SUNY Canton students have lost their right to use the app. She said she and other resident assistants in the Grasse River Suites were policing the app Wednesday night, because it was already being used to bully students. "I think our school has been misusing it," she said. "Personally, I think we don't deserve it anymore." She said she felt things wouldn't return to normal until those responsible are known. "We're still scared that this person is going to come do something. (They're) still out there." she said. Angel M. Sharlow, 26, a nursing student and commuter, said she was scared to come to class Thursday, and felt classes should have been canceled as soon as the college got wind of the threats. "How do you know it's fine? Until it happens, you don't know that everything's fine," she said, questioning the institution's perception of campus safety during the lockdown. Despite Thursday's trying events, students got both electronic and gastronomic support as they waited to be released, according to Mr. Kie. He said St. Lawrence University helped deliver sandwiches to students in their dorms during the lockdown, while students at both colleges in Canton and people in the wider community sent encouraging messages via Yik Yak. "Although we're talking about a couple of bad posts, many of the posts following were very supportive," he said. ___ (c)2014 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) Visit Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) at www.watertowndailytimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |