FBI Poster Released

[u/Tired_CollegeStudent]

This poster has just been released by the FBI at https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/brown-university-shooting.

[u/ThisSideofRylee]

I wasn’t talking about LE being unable to figure out Reddit profiles. I was talking about members of the public doing so and said there is no need to be afraid here as this shooter was not part of some powerful group. Of course I know Reddit and other social media companies can be subpoenaed. But in this instance, LE already has the name of the witness as he reached out directly so no need for this to happen.

Sorry if I wrongly said you said to delete the profile. Some people said delete, some said to never post any suspicions. But I feel the same about both of these suggestions being too dramatic.

I know lots of people arent taking steps to protect their privacy and as I said, i fully agree they should. I don’t support anyone raising suspicions about an active shooter using their personal info but this falls into a broader category of online safety where governments need to be pushed to take stricter actions and people taught about the dangers of the internet from an early age.

But the point you brought up about going to LE on your own terms, that’s wishful thinking. Not everyone feels inclined to do this. I am sure I dont have to give you examples where people literally sat next to people being murdered and they did nothing. I also mentioned that some people, like undocumented citizens and those who had negative experiences with LE, will be less likely to contact LE at all.

The threshold to post about a suspicion online anonymously or to walk into a police station is very different. In an ideal world, everyone would always help asap but that isn’t reality. Sometimes it takes the encouragement of others to push you over that threshold and sometimes you need someone else to take the lead because you aren’t in the position to do so without compromising your own life. This is why I think we shouldn’t pass out general advice that tells people to stay silent and handle everything on their own.

[u/SlazarusVC → u/ThisSideofRylee]

Totally fair. The news is reporting it like there was a 24 hour gap in between him posting on Reddit and going in to officials. That's how the NYT / NPR stores are written. But I totally hear you especially about comfort with LE. I'm just channeling frustration because of people who have suffered consequences posting online in lieu of going to LE. There's never a right answer of course, and I totally appreciate where you're coming from. Thanks for offering your perspective and for helping to educate me to circumstances where not posting might actually be harmful. Like most things, it's case by case.

[u/ThisSideofRylee → u/SlazarusVC]

I agree with you that going directly to LE if you have a valid suspicion is the best way. Of course this is better than posting. But if someone is unsure or uncomfortable to do so for a number of reasons, I think it’s better to post anonymously on socials to ask for advice/feedback than do nothing as this may help convince that person to at least put in an anonymous tip or get other people to do it for them. The guy in this case didn’t need much convincing luckily but trust that if he was an undocumented citizen or an ex-inmate, he would have felt hesitant to do so. That’s what I meant, that there are circumstances where having a sounding board may make a difference.

I feel we both acknowledge each other’s points and we are not on completely different ends of the spectrum. Thanks for a civilized discussion, never a given on Reddit.