A large-scale disturbance occurred in a major shopping center in the Bronx, New York City, recently, with the police subsequently charging nearly 20 individuals, the majority of whom were minors. This incident, coming on the heels of several cases of teenagers engaging in risky behavior “for the sake of gaining attention on the internet”, has once again raised concerns across various sectors about the negative impact of social media on minors.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) stated that the disturbance took place on the afternoon of February 16 (President’s Day) at the Mall at Bay Plaza in the Bronx. Hundreds of teenagers flooded both the interior and exterior of the mall, running around, pushing and shoving each other, making loud noises, with some individuals refusing to obey the police’s “immediate dispersal” orders, causing a significant level of chaos at the scene.
Authorities pointed out that a total of 18 individuals were either arrested or faced charges in connection with the event, with 17 being minors and one being an adult, the charges including unlawful assembly and rioting. While there were no reports of serious injuries during the incident, it posed a threat to public safety, necessitating a significant police presence for crowd control.
Multiple videos from the scene subsequently went viral on social media platforms, showing large groups of teenagers chasing each other, shouting, and some even filming as they ran, with some videos being uploaded in real-time, sparking even more onlookers and imitators. Police indicated that this incident appears to be related to the popular social media trend of “takeovers” and was not simply a spontaneous conflict.
It is worth noting that this was not the only dangerous incident involving teenagers incited by social media on President’s Day. On the same night of the 16th, a 16-year-old teenager entered the structure of the Queensboro Bridge to film a video imitating risky behaviors seen on social media, and accidentally fell about 50 feet from a ventilation shaft.
The teenager was eventually rescued by a joint effort of police and firefighters and taken to receive medical treatment, fortunately without any life-threatening injuries. Authorities later stated that this accident was related to the “challenges” or risky content on social media, with teenagers often underestimating the potential risks in their pursuit of clicks and attention, thereby endangering themselves and public safety.
From these two incidents and the countless subway surfing incidents in the past, it is evident that social media amplifies impulsive behaviors, group effects, and other risky behaviors that have detrimental effects on minors.
Experts are urging for not only law enforcement measures but also for municipal authorities, schools, and families to enhance media literacy education to help teenagers discern the harmful nature of online content, in order to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
The NYPD also emphasized that any actions that disrupt public order or jeopardize one’s safety may lead to severe legal consequences, advising parents to monitor their children’s social media usage to prevent irreversible consequences stemming from following trends impulsively.