Yeah it is probably more a social networking thing than a gangsta thing.
Not so much a "
social networking" thing as perception. The problem with any site that involves a sort of narcissistic interaction (
i.e., I'm snacking on olives, yum, yum), is that it magnifies things. Importantly, when posts are so public, it is easy to feel like *everyone* is watching. That is what I mean by the fishbowl effect. It magnifies the perceived audience. And it magnifies whatever image one might be trying to protray, or whatever image others might be trying to portray of them. So, it becomes a battle of egos. Bc, above all, social networking sites are ego-centric. Furthermore, while communication is asynchronous, reading is not. So, it makes it feel like its happening in real time, when in reality, it isn't. Hence, people can get drawn into the drama. Think of it as an argument without a timeout. Which makes it easier to react... post something nasty, back, whatever... or worst case, kill oneself or attempt to kill another. Then, there is the group contagion effect, so to speak... the them vs us. Where the anger is fed... sorta like validation but far more toxic bc the group may discuss and even reify proposed antisocial behavior (
i.e., s/he deserves it, oh man, kick his/her *advertiser censored*** etc). Words that, at other times, may be no big deal, would be emotionally charged in this sort of scenario. Think of an angry mob that escalates into violence...
The above is, of course, over simplified. Because in addition to these sorts of dynamics, there is also the dynamic of predisposition, family influence, psychological makeup, personality traits, emotional development stages, etcetera. However, the overall trajectory is what I described in my masters research as the pathway to violence. Which I also proffer can be generalized to criminal behavior.
This, of course, is not to excuse these kids' behavior. I am simply suggesting elements that could play a role in the final violent outcome.