User blog:David McMartin Son Of Sparrow/Swatting and what you should make of it.

If you aren't aware, recently, a member of the popular gaming group The Creatures who goes by the handle Kootra was the victim of a popular trend known as "swatting."  While he and all the other Creatures got out unharmed, it is vital to know why swatting is seen as detrimental to society.

What is swatting?

This trend involves calling the police, usually through a disguised or otherwise untraceable call, and reporting to them that an accident has occured at a certain address. This is most often seen in Twitch streams, which are live streams of people playign video games. A fine example of this is with whiteboy7thst, who was apprehended and arrested. However, unlike Kootra, whiteboy7thst was arrested and sent to jail due to possession of illegal substances (weed 'n' such). 

Why is swatting viewed as bad?

While some perceive swatting as a harmless prank, it is actually incredibly dangerous and wasteful. Not only does it cost SWAT teams precious time and money to organize raids, but it also puts the victim at risk. Just imagine if a victim of swatting were to have a fake gun in his room, and was shot down or beaten for housing what the cops thought to be a threat. Or, imagine if the victim were to have a pet, such as a dog, with them and it was killed for pestering the SWAT team as it raided the victim's area.

What happens to the caller?

Usually the caller of the SWAT team is tracked down. Should they be caught, they face an upwards of 10 years in prison, not to mention personal shame and hatred from friends and family who find out what they did.

How can I avoid becoming a victim?

Protect your identity. Don't reveal any personal information to the public if you don't know who's watching. The less people know, the better. If it helps, try to mask any traces that may lead to your location and try to find and get rid of vulnerabilities, such as loud-mouthed friends, or insecure internet. 

TL;DR - Don't swat. It'll only end badly for you, the victim, and the SWAT team involved. And remember to protect your identity from people you don't know. You can never be too safe.

What's your opinion on swatting? Did I mess something up in the blog? Say below in the comments!

10:06, August 28, 2014 (UTC)