Fox's new hit TV show Scream Queens became a Twitter sensation - the pilot episode alone inspired 118,000 people to craft 416,000 tweets. The show follows a sorority as a costumed villain (The Red Devil) picks them off one-by-one. A viewer would be wrong to dismiss Scream Queens as stupid fun. The show utilizes one of the characters, 'Chanel #2', to address common uses and miss-uses of social media today.
Chanel #2, AKA Sonya, is a rich, tech-obsessed sorority girl who dreams of being a famous news anchor. In the first two episodes of the series, she demonstrates some really good and really bad ways to utilize social media. (Beware spoilers below).
Good Idea - Social Media as Another Means of Receiving Help
Before Chanel #2 can escape the dangerous sorority house, the Red Devil arrives to kill her. As the masked man sets out to on his task, Chanel turns to her open Twitter account to seek aid from her followers. The show reminds viewers that social media shouldn't be discounted as a means of preventing crime and catching criminals.
Law enforcement agencies have begun to utilize social media to spread Amber Alerts and all-points bulletins. Individuals who are in danger can utilize social media's private or public instant message system to seek help (as a recent kidnap victim did).
Bad Idea - Posting at Inappropriate Times
For Chanel #2, trying to seek help through social media was smart. Unfortunately for Chanel #2, tweeting a very long monologue which includes the line "I'm being murdered by the Red Devil" is not the smartest use of the potentially life-saving technology.
In the particular scene, Chanel #2 had a phone in her hands and she was within screaming distance of at least three of her sorority sisters. Social media shouldn't be the first method you utilize to seek help, it should be reserved for instances where you can't scream for help or call the police with your phone. By the end of the scene, it's not very surprising that Chanel ends up another victim of the Red Devil. Or does she?
Good Idea - Use Social Media to Keep in Touch With Your Friends and Family
Social media is a great way to ensure your friends and family know that you're alive and well. After Chanel #2 disappears (not all of the characters know she's dead), one of the main characters use a recent Instagram post as a sign that she is alive and well. "Look #2 is still posting on Instagram. There she is by the pool sunbathing," the character tells the skeptical security guard.
Later, when the group seek out Chanel #2's parents, they further cement the idea of utilizing social media to ensure the safety of family when one of them says, "The bad news is, there's a serial killer on campus, but the good news is your daughter is still posting from Instagram." You can't talk to your family or friends every day? Don't worry, social media has your back...or does it?
Bad Idea - Don't Rely Solely On Social Media for Evidence
Chanel #2 being alive hinges entirely on the concept of social media account security. The skeptical private security guard, Denise Hempill, reminds us that bad social media security practices on Chanel's part could have led to "somebody posting [the recent Instagram posts] for her."
Chanel #2 isn't the brightest sorority girl. Just from what we've seen so far, I can easily imagine her utilizing unsafe security methods like creating an easily decrypted password (chanel#2 or kappa kappa tau) or writing all of her passwords in an easy to find location.
The show makes it clear that we all need to be a little more aware of the security of our own and our friend's social media accounts. If an unusual post pops into the stream, we might want to contact them, in person, to ensure that all is well.
Scream Queens is a great addition to Fox's television line-up. Despite the witty, gory fun, Scream Queens doesn't shy away from commenting on the good and bad ways that people utilize social media every day. Each new episode will no doubt uncover more social media gold that will slowly reveal whether Chanel #2 is alive or dead.
