Our kids don't go there, but my first thought was that it could just as easily have been my kids' school. It can be anyone's school, anywhere, anytime. Welcome to the modern age.
I put it out of my mind as I went back into my meetings, but as I headed through intense snow and traffic on my way home, my BlackBerry once again chirped. Patrick Maloney, a reporter for the London Free Press, wanted my perspective on how kids with cell phones and smartphones can affect how events like this play out. He wanted to know if I felt it was a good or a bad thing for kids to be texting in the middle of a crisis. Here's the result*:
For one technology expert, the Mother Teresa incident underscores the positives of letting cellphones in -- though he cautions it's not always a good thing.The full article, Students text to spread lockdown news quickly, may be found here.
"In many cases, in crisis situations, the facts people don't know can cause panic," said Carmi Levy, a London-based technology analyst.
"If properly used, (social media technology) can shed light on events and help people navigate them more easily."
But they can also spread rumours, he notes.
"That's the dark side of texting and social media . . . there are no checks and balances," he said. "It's just as easy to distribute bad information."
Your turn: So what do you think? Do social media/texting-savvy teens help or hinder matters when bad stuff happens at school?
One more thing: Next Thematic - new theme, blue - will launch tonight at 7:00 Eastern. A little late, I know, but it's been a busy week. Thank you for your understanding.
*I lied, make that two: I wore a headset, Officer Bob.
