A 13-year-old teenager learned the hard way that using social media comes with responsibilities, especially when you repeatedly harass, intimidate and threaten another person.
The victim, also a minor, had been subjected to the suspect’s wrath for several months before his parents, seeing the seriousness of the suspect behavior, decided to file a complaint with the police.
During the investigation on April 14, police went to the suspect’s home to arrest him, but given his parents’ failure to cooperate, they had to turn back and return the next day with a search warrant to look for specific objects linked to certain alleged offences.
So, before 7:00 p.m. on April 15, the suspect was arrested at his home. Given the seriousness of his actions, he was detained and had to appear before a youth court judge the following day. During his appearance, he was formally charged with;
- Criminal harassment
- Uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm
- Distribution of child pornography
- Unauthorized possession of prohibited or restricted weapons
The teenager was released with a multitude of conditions, including these, which are directly related to social media and the Internet
– Not to access an account or use any social media directly or indirectly
– Not to access the Internet or any other digital network without adult supervision
The lesson to be learned, whether you’re a teenager or an adult, is that when it comes to using social media and the Internet, we all have responsibilities regarding what we publish online. Because the possible consequences of misuse can result in criminal charges, a conviction and, by necessity, a criminal record.