The Internet's Role in Mass Shootings
Data suggests that the rise in mass shootings parallels the rise in internet pervasiveness.
Growing up as a kid in Sitka, Alaska in the 1970s, most of us boys brought knives to school every day — Swiss Army knives especially. As for guns, our middle school had an indoor rifle range and taught us to shoot as part of the curriculum. And most of our parents owned guns, so there were guns in our homes.
However, although most young men had easy access to weapons, and the training to use them to do mass harm if we wanted to, it never happened.
It's not like we young men didn't at times feel angry and estranged from society.
In fact, this was a time when racism was more blatant, bullying more allowed, and mental health troubles were mocked instead of cared for. Nevertheless, mass shootings simply weren't common back then.
=> I'm not saying access to weapons isn't a factor in mass shootings — I'm saying access to weapons doesn't explain why mass shootings are far more common now than before.
If anything, there is probably less access to weapons today, yet the number of mass shootings has risen.
What if access to weapons isn't the root of the problem? What if it's access to the internet?
Before the internet, extreme ideas, disinformation, and bigotry could only come from homes, churches, clubs, or peer groups.
And comparatively speaking, extremism was slower to spread, limited in scope by geography, and easier for authorities to monitor before the internet.
Before the internet, extreme ideas, disinformation, and bigotry could only come from homes, churches, clubs, or peer groups. And comparatively speaking, extremism was slower to spread, limited in scope by geography, and easier for authorities to monitor before the internet.
Data suggests that the rise in mass shootings parallels the rise in internet pervasiveness.
• In the 11 years prior to the invention of the web browser in 1993, the U.S. had exactly 14 mass shooting incidents, which averages to a mass shooting once every 287 days.
• As access to the internet from personal computers grew, there were 41 mass shootings between 1993 and 2010, including Columbine High School. During this period, the frequency of mass shootings almost tripled: once ever 116 days.
• As smartphone ownership became ubiquitous, between 2011 and 2014, a mass shooting occurred at an average of once every 64 days in the United States.
• And now that every young person has a smartphone, over the last 7 years, a mass shooting occurs in the United States on average once every 43 days.
Mass shootings increased 667% during the very same time period when access to weapons decreased, but access to internet bigotry, bullying, disinformation, and political extremism increased.
And technology doesn't just facilitate the spread of hostility, it assures instant global fame for the perpetrators of violent crimes.
Even when the mainstream media tries to suppress the identity of mass murderers, the perpetrator's social circles still know, and that is enough for it to spread through social media.
To be clear, I don't know if there is a causation, correlation — or neither — between the ubiquity of the internet and the rise in mass shootings.
But I do know there is enough here that research should be funded and these questions answered.
The one thing I do know about America's mass shootings problem is that it's unlikely that our government will solve it.
Before the internet was ubiquitous, the USA averaged a mass shooting once every 287 days; now it's once every 43 days.
Before the internet was ubiquitous, the USA averaged a mass shooting once every 287 days; now it's once every 43 days.
During this same period of time we've seen Republicans in control, Democrats in control, and a balance of power between the parties.
Nevertheless, regardless who has held power, zero laws have been passed to substantively address the problem — whether they be gun laws or internet regulations.
For example, 23 of America's 25 most deadly mass shootings were with automatic or semi-automatic weapons. They could do something about that at least.
Realistically, our best chance at ending mass shootings is innovation from the private sector — and maybe that's okay.
After all, if technology is a significant cause for the rise in mass shootings, it stands to reason that technology could be a big part of the solution.
Thanks for listening.
