Teenagers, social media, and terrorism: a threat level hard to assess
Found on CS Monitor on Wednesday, 08 May 2013
The Methuen, Mass., high school student was arrested last week after posting online videos that show him rapping an original song that police say contained “disturbing verbiage” and reportedly mentioned the White House and the Boston Marathon bombing. He is charged with communicating terrorist threats, a state felony, and faces a potential 20 years in prison.
The way law enforcement agencies approach online activity that appears sinister is this: “If you’re not a terrorist, if you’re not a threat, prove it,” he says.
“This is the price you pay to live in free society right now. It’s just the way it is,” Mullins adds.
This is not a free society. Not at all. It's the worst society in which you could live: a society where simply stating your opinion will get you into jail.