“They just don’t get it.”

This is a common phrase uttered by teenagers in reference to adults. Adults don’t always understand social media, memes, the hip new lingo or the overwhelming angst of being a teenager. Maybe they’re right.

“They just don’t get it.”

Turning that phrase around, there are still a lot of things that teens might not understand about life. Responsible social media and computer use do not come naturally to teenagers. Just like any other skill, they need to be taught.

What happened at Washington High School on Tuesday is a good example of what happens when social media gets out of control. A share here, a post there and a forward for good measure, and soon, the result is a general panic over a threat later found to not be credible.

The result of that viral sharing was a general disruption in the midst of an otherwise normal school day. According to multiple sources, there was a significant dip in attendance at WHS on Tuesday. In addition, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office had to allocate additional security to the schools, diverting deputies from other tasks. As a community, we expect no less — it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in its “Think Before You Post” campaign, encourages young people to think about the consequences of what they post and share online. This not only applies to the ones who might make threats of violence, but those who might share those threats after they are posted.

The federal agency offers the following tips:

• Don’t ever post or send any hoax threats online. Period.
• If you are a target of an online threat, alert your local law enforcement immediately.
• If you see a threat of violence posted on social media, immediately contact local law enforcement or your local FBI office. Members of the public can always submit a tip to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
• Notify authorities but don’t share or forward the threat until law enforcement has had a chance to investigate — this can spread misinformation and cause panic.
• If you are a parent or family member, know that some young people post these threats online as a cry for attention or as a way to get revenge or exert control. Talk to your child about the proper outlet for their stress or other emotions, and explain the importance of responsible social media use and the consequences of posting hoax threats.

When teens see something troubling online, we need to teach them to go to a trusted adult or the authorities, rather than sharing it online with their peer groups. The end result of the type of rampant, panicked sharing we saw on Tuesday is essentially the same as yelling “fire” in a crowded theater, or crying “wolf” when there’s no wolf to be found.

Our local law enforcement and school personnel have seen and dealt with threats before, and are pretty good at determining whether they might be credible or not. A social media post can spread misinformation like wildfire, leaving fear and panic in its wake.

Parents, talk to your kids about what they share.