There are so many reasons I lose sleep over social media as a parent. Although my son is still a few years off from directly interacting with platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, the truth is the well has been poisoned. The videos he watches, his friends at school, and, if I am being honest, my own doom scrolling, make social media look appealing. Aside from worry about his general safety, though, I also worry about his own internet behavior. After all, the concept of something living online “forever” is almost inconceivable for a child. It should be conceivable, however, for a 20-year-old man.
Ethan Ladner of Santa Rose Beach, an affluent neighborhood in Florida, was recently arrested after making threats online to shoot up a school, according to Fox News. And he should have known better.
The outlet reported that the Walton County Sheriff’s Office stated the FBI notified it about a planned school shooting on November 29, 2025. Authorities flagged explicit comments via a TikTok livestream over their violent nature. Local authorities teamed up with the FBI and connected the threats to Ladner, who confirmed the account was his.
According to a statement posted online, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said he claimed to do it as an attempt to provoke reactions online. Ladner was charged with a felony over making electronic threats of a mass shooting.
“Let us be clear. There is no such thing as a ‘joke’ when it comes to threats of violence toward our schools,” the statement on Facebook read. “Every threat is treated as credible until proven otherwise. These investigations mobilize extensive law-enforcement resources and carry serious legal consequences.”
Authorities went on to urge parents to take the opportunity to talk with their children over the seriousness of making such claims online and how that can result in serious discipline.
Community members on Facebook expressed a range of emotions over the news —mostly anger and disgust over the senseless threat.
“A 20 year old knows better. He’s a young man who grew up with the internet, and he knows the severity of his actions,” wrote one concerned community member. “This was not a ‘joke.’ So glad these sort of things are being flagged by FBI! And thank you Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Florida for taking swift action!”
“Common sense isn’t so common anymore,” quipped another commenter.
“He wanted to provoke a reaction? There it is, a felony,” noted someone else.
The truth is, internet safety is something that people of every age need to get familiar with. And while we hope that our kids would never be so careless as to make a mistake like this, talking to them about it is a good way to help reduce the chances of it happening.
