WCPO: Expert discusses social media's role in Buffalo mass shooting
Social media expert Jeffrey Blevins weighs in on impact of social media in mass shooting
Jeffrey Blevins, PhD, head of UC's Department of Journalism. Photo/UC Creative + Brand/Kelley
The shooter in the Buffalo tragedy had access to hate group theories and many ways to kill at his fingertips...via the internet.
“Social media seems to play a role in just about everything,” UC’s social media expert Jeffrey Blevins told WCPO, explaining that the dark side of social media has been there since the beginning.
“Webpages afforded a lot of anonymity to hate groups,” said Blevins, who heads the Department of Journalism. “They’ve allowed them to sadly merchandise and recruit others and raise money. It's very difficult for the government to interdict because we’re talking about cyberspace and not geographical space.”
Featured image at top courtesy of Unsplash.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
UC doctoral student shares his journey with Spectrum News
July 27, 2026
UC doctoral student Amota Ataneka spoke with Spectrum News about his educational journey. Ataneka, a native of the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, is one of 35 emerging scholars across the United States to win the National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship.
How scammers can persuade you with AI
July 27, 2026
Spectrum News recently dove into how cloning voices with artificial intelligence is making it easier to scam people over the phone. The news outlet spoke with Kimberly Hyun, assistant professor of marketing at UC’s Lindner College of Business, to examine why AI is making it so much easier to trick people.
Decade of discovery
July 27, 2026
Every summer, UHP Discover has connected undergraduate students in the University Honors Program (UHP) to a unique array of opportunities in original interdisciplinary research. This year, the program celebrates its 10th anniversary.