United States – October 19, 2026 -- Parents and school administrators are being urged to take three steps against social media-related school violence threats after a so-called "National Day of School Violence" spread online this week.
The threats reportedly started on TikTok, though that has not been definitively established. Posts about them spread quickly, worrying families across the country and forcing some schools to close for the day. The Organization for Social Media Safety says it worked through the week to make sure schools were aware and took precautions. The day passed without incident.
Third-party safety software can flag dangerous posts
The organization recommends that households use third-party safety software, which can send alerts when a child's social media account shows threats of violence or self-harm. It endorses Bark and says the Instagram posts made by the teen suspect in the school shooting in Oxford, Michigan would have been flagged by Bark's software.
Software works best when a whole school community uses it
If a majority of families in a school community use such software, more potential threats can be identified and addressed, the organization says. It also recommends that schools run safety software on their own networks.
Students should report threats to the platform and an adult
Children who see a threat of violence on social media should report it immediately to the platform and to an authority figure. Reports help schools identify possible threats and let platforms remove dangerous content before it spreads.
The organization says it will keep educating families on safe social media use, advocating for updated laws that hold platforms responsible, and developing technology for real-time protection.