June 10, 2011
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The Gang Violence That Never Was — Social Media and Bad Journalism in Boston
http://bit.ly/k0AT5D
School Internet Filter Illegally Blocks LGBT Websites, Says ACLU
http://bit.ly/mEUWua
Journeys
http://bit.ly/gladxs
The Gang Violence That Never Was — Social Media and Bad Journalism in Boston
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Law enforcement officials are trying to figure out why supposedly massive fights erupted between teens on a crowded Boston beach over Memorial Day weekend. Initial reports, from Massachusetts State Police, were that gangs had used Facebook to organize violent gatherings. Then, on Tuesday, Boston’s police commissioner said whatever fights that did break out didn't seem to have anything to do with gangs. And finally state police started backpedalling their gang violence theory. Regardless, media outlets were all atwitter with the social media, “gang warfare” angle — underscoring how sensational media memes can overwhelm any attempt by the public to understand the dynamics of teen violence.