Facebook Inquiry Over Online Threats At South Jersey High School
MULLICA HILL, NJ (CBS) -- The social networking site Facebook is getting a subpoena from South Jersey law enforcement as they try to track down the author of several threatening posts that targeted students at Clearview Regional High School.
A spokesperson for Facebook, Nicky Jackson Colaco, tells KYW Newsradio in an e-mail that the California-based company has received a subpoena, and is cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.
The company cannot comment further on the probe, but stresses that Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities "prohibits anyone from posting threatening content."
The postings, which have since been removed, reportedly were from someone using the name "David Prezet." There's no one at Clearview by that name.
At no time was the school itself threatened, although police were in force Thursday as a precaution.
Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton suggests if this was a joke, he's not amused:
"The misuse of social networking sites such as this is criminal behavior and will be treated accordingly. Technology should be carefully utilized as a resource and not as a medium to spread hate or violent messages."
Dalton would not describe the content of the messages themselves, but says if the author is tracked down, they're likely to face terroristiic threat charges and a potential jail term.
Reported by: David Madden, KYW Newsradio.
