Chatter not helpful

Anonymity breeds irresponsibility.
That much, for certain, the Internet has made clear.
Read a forum or the comments section or page through social media. You’ll soon understand.
It becomes ugly fast.
And because there are few names attached — and many of those are fictional — anything goes.
Gossip is nothing new, of course. But our hyper-connected world has put gossip on steroids.
The juicier the rumor, the more hits it generates.
The more hits it generates, the more likely it is to be passed on and go viral.
But sometimes, it’s worth remembering real people are connected to the words spewed across social media.
Right now, for instance, a local family is in crisis because a young woman has gone missing. Her fate is unknown, but that hasn’t stopped hundreds of speculators, rumor-mongers and just plain idiots from weighing in.
And it’s reached the point where the noise from the anonymous mob is making work more difficult for those trying to unwind this crisis.
It’s as if the circus has come to town, but the implications are much more serious.
If you have information that might help resolve this crisis, then share that information with local law enforcement. Contact Dunkirk police, Albany police or the sheriff’s office.
If you have a hunch or a rumor or a goofy theory, do everyone a favor; keep your mouth shut. Stay off the Internet. Say a prayer for a safe return. Don’t add to the craziness of poisonous social media.
Recognize that anonymity breeds irresponsibility, and have the personal courage to be responsible.
It’s really not all that difficult to keep your mouth shut when you have nothing useful to say. —J.R.[[In-content Ad]]