New initiative targets social media bullying, threats among students

Many of the students who create panic and risk hurting others with cruel or threatening posts on social media don't fully understand the impact of their actions, SMART program CEO Nick Williams says. They don't realize that trying to act tough on Snapchat or Instagram — pointing a gun at the camera, posting an ominous caption about their school — can get them in genuine trouble with the law. Williams is part of an ongoing effort to teach kids social media responsibility skills and connect schools with police to report, identify and respond to threats made online.