Digital Echoes of the Brown University Shooting: Students Turn to Social Media

Fri Jan 09 2026 14:42:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the wake of a tragic shooting at Brown University, students navigate fear and confusion through the anonymous app Sidechat, sharing real-time updates and emotions during the crisis.

On December 13, a shooting incident unfolded at Brown University, prompting students to seek information via Sidechat, an anonymous messaging platform. With official alerts delayed, students shared urgent information about the situation, creating a digital record of their experience. This response highlights how social media has become essential in navigating campus emergencies. As students faced lockdowns and uncertainty, they turned to one another for support, creating a collective voice in the chaos of fear and grief.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — As a gunman opened fire in an academic building at Brown University, students didn’t wait for the university's alerts; they took to their phones. The anonymous app Sidechat became their lifeline, providing an urgent channel for real-time updates.

On December 13, during finals week, as chaos erupted, students connected through Sidechat to share fragmented thoughts, fears, and crucial information regarding the evolving situation. An analysis of over 8,000 posts within 36 hours revealed a significant reliance on social media for navigating emergencies on campus.

Before the university's official alert was sent, students were already documenting the unfolding tragedy. Those sheltering in place shared their experiences, some even posting from hospital beds with captions indicating the gravity of the moment: #finalsweek.

From frantic queries about safety to the wish to confirm someone’s well-being, the digital conversation reflected both urgency and anxiety. As one student wrote, I haven’t eaten anything today! I’m so scared I don’t even know if I get out of this alive or dead.”

With hours of lockdown extending into the night, students grappled with their fears, some turning to alcohol as a coping mechanism. I ran and didn’t calm down for a while. I feel numb, tired, & about to throw up, shared one overwhelmed student.

The uncertainty persisted late into the night as false reports circled, intensifying the anxiety felt across the campus. A university spokesperson later confirmed that the shooter was no longer on campus by the time official notifications were dispatched.

Days later, with the campus gripped by mourning, the community began to heal through shared reflections. Many students reported a profound change in how they viewed their university: Snow will always be bloody for me, one student commented, capturing the somber shift in campus life.

As students mourned the loss of two fellow classmates, they also faced the reality that their sense of safety had been irrevocably altered. In a world where monitoring the news unfold is commonplace and documentation of events can be instant, the chaos of that December day will not easily fade from memory.