In April, a 14-year-old Dutch girl tweeted a threat to American Airlines, claiming to be a member of Al Qaeda and implying she had a terrorist plan in the works. American Airlines tweeted the girl back, telling her that they were forwarding her IP address to the FBI. The girl was arrested and is still currently pleading her case.
Source: Nydailynews.com
In 2012, British tourists Emily Bunting and Leigh Van Bryan were enthusiastically tweeting one another about their plans for a trip to America. One tweet from Van Bryan mentioned a plan to “destroy America.” Not realizing that “destroy” was British jargon for “partying,” Homeland Security flagged the tourists as potential threats and held them under armed guard for 12 hours when they landed in Los Angeles, California.
Source: Dailymail.co.uk
In 2012, 18-year-old Matthew Woods of Lancashire, North West England, posted a Facebook comment implying derogatory things about a 5-year-old girl who had recently been abducted in his town. Woods was sentenced to 12 weeks in a young offender institute.
Source: Theguardian.com
A Chicago teenager was arrested (his name was withheld because he was a minor) after tweeting, “If Zimmerman free ima shoot everybody in Zion causing a mass homicide, and ill get away wit it just like Zimmerman.” The tweeter was charged with disorderly conduct.
Source: News965.com
Paula Asher, 18, of Kentucky added the popular acronym “LOL” (laugh out loud) to the end of a Facebook post that got her arrested. In 2012 Asher received a DUI after driving drunk and hitting a car. She later posted to Facebook, “My dumb a** got a DUI and hit a car LOL.” A judge ordered Asher to shut down her Facebook page. After Asher ignored the order she was sentenced to two days in prison for contempt.
Source: Abc15.com
In 2013, after conversation got a bit heated over the online video game, “League of Legends,” 18-year-old Justin Carter of San Antonio, Texas posted a Facebook comment (in reply to one of his opponent’s comments) reading, “I think I’ma shoot up a kindergarten and watch the blood of the innocent rain down and eat the beating heart of one of them.” Carter is currently facing 10 years in prison. An online petition to have him released has received tens of thousands of signatures.
Source: Washingtonpost.com
In 2012, after discovering Robin Hood airport in South Yorkshire, England was closed, disgruntled traveler Paul Chambers tweeted about the airport, “You’ve got a week and a bit to get your sh—together otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high!” This tweet got Chambers charged and convicted of sending “a message of menacing character” under the Communications Act of 2003. The conviction cost Chambers his job but he fought the conviction and won.
Source: Theguardian.com
In 2013, 18-year-old Cameron D’Ambrosio posted rap lyrics to Facebook that were interpreted as terroristic. His post read, “F— a boston bomb wait till u see the s— I do” implying he wanted to outdo the Boston Marathon bomber. D’Ambrosio was arrested and faced up to 20 years in prison, but after spending a month in jail, an online petition demanding the teen’s release paid off, and the rapper was set free.
Source: IbTimes.com
In 2013, 22-year-old Done Jamar Sims learned that tweeting about assassinating the president is no joking matter. The Charlotte, North Carolina resident posted five threats against President Barack Obama just before the president was set to visit Charlotte. Sims was arrested and claimed he was “high on marijuana” when sending the tweets. Sims was sentenced to six months in jail.
Source: Huffingtonpost.com
In 2011, 38-year-old David Voelkert of South Bend, Indiana received a Facebook friend request from 17-year-old Jessica Studebaker. Voelkert, who was at the time fighting for custody of his children with his ex-wife Angela Voelkert, suspected this was a fake profile, created by his ex to gather information against Voelkert in her custody case. To draw the truth out of his ex, Voelkert told the fake “Studebaker” that he’d bugged his ex’s car and had plans to kill her. His ex took the bite and went to the police. David Voelkert spent four days in custody but was released because he had, before the Facebook incidents occurred, signed a notarized affidavit detailing his plans, and promising he had no real intentions of harming his ex.
Source: Thesmokinggun.com
