Social media can shape public opinion and spread important messages, especially on college campuses. When students use Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YikYak to spread activist messages, they have the potential to reach thousands of other students.

Digital platforms can also be weapons, used against those accused of committing sexual misconduct. Recent protests at four major U.S. universities show the role these platforms play in sexual violence allegations.

Increased Use of Social Media to Spotlight Alleged Campus Sexual Assault

A report from the Chronicle of Higher Education noted how protests at four U.S. universities in September relied heavily on social media to mobilize. At the University of Nebraska, the University of Kansas, Auburn University, and the University of Massachusetts, Boston, students posted about sexual assault and the lack of response from their universities. The report pointed out how social media is becoming an increasingly important tool in the debate over campus sexual misconduct and how the large volume of Tweets, posts, and messages can shape public opinion on campus.

How Social Media Makes or Breaks Reputations

In the past several years, social media has given birth to “cancel culture,” whereby someone's online (and offline) reputation is ruined once they are exposed as having done something wrong. “Cancelling” someone on social media has destroyed lives, causing people to lose their jobs or worse.

If social media users are capable of shaping public opinion about an individual so heavily, imagine what would happen to a university student accused of sexual assault. With the increasing use of digital platforms to spread awareness and shame institutions, it's not far-fetched to believe that social media could ruin an accused student's education and prospects.

Social Media Can Draw Attention but Shouldn't Be a Final Arbiter

Social media is a powerful tool for drawing attention to an issue or problem, but when fingers point at individual students, it can be destructive. All it takes is accusing someone of sexual assault on Twitter or Instagram, and the message can spread like wildfire. This public attention shouldn't impact the formal adjudication process for dealing with complaints of sexual assault, but universities can hardly ignore it.

Negative comments on social media can make a university hearing panel biased toward an accused student. Furthermore, if this student receives so much hate online and the university does not punish them—even if the adjudication process finds them innocent—the university could look like it's ignoring the problem.

How Universities Should Deal With Social Media in Sexual Assault Cases

Social media platforms can aid activists, but they shouldn't be used in place of formal investigations and hearings where unbiased decisions need to be made far from the potential "madding crowds". If you are a student accused of sexual assault and aren't sure how to defend yourself or if you should respond to negative comments against you on social media, contact student defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and Lento Law Firm by calling 888-535-3686. Attorney Lento and his team have helped hundreds of college students across the country with sexual misconduct allegations and can help you protect your reputation and future.