Rapper PnB Rock's Death Highlights the Dangers of Social Media

On September 12, Rakim Allen, also known as Rapper PnB Rock, was shot dead during a suspected robbery while dining at Roscoe's Chicken ‘N Waffles in Los Angeles with his girlfriend She posted on her instagram a picture of the food, with the location tagged, and this is what people believe led to the suspect choosing PnB as his victim. With the speculation surrounding why he was targeted, and social media being a core reason, it proposes a bigger problem when it comes to celebrity safety. In the age of social media and news reports, information about celebrities' private lives are dangerously accessible to all fans, including ones who don’t have good intentions. 

Without the location or obvious clues as to where they are, crazed fans are able to analyze an Instagram post and figure out where celebrities are from a visible crack in the street or a telephone post. While most fans are respectful of celebrities, the obsessive few can put the celebrity in genuine danger. These fans often cross the line, and instead of trying to see the celebrity on the street or capture a picture with them, they stalk them and demand more. 

This isn’t a rare occurrence for celebrities to deal with. In 2016, Kim Kardshian was in Paris for Fashion Week. Days after she posted on snapchat with her diamond ring, she was robbed of $10 million dollars worth of merchandise while she was locked in a bathroom. For many celebrities, the way they interact with their fans is through social media. Celebrities have so many people who admire them, and social media creates a platform for them to be able to interact with them. While posting on social media is obviously part of the job and joy of being a celebrity, fans need to respect the boundaries of their idols.

For celebrities, having a social media platform is important to update fans on albums, tours, and just random updates. Celebrities often post when they are in a city for a concert, after all its already public knowledge. When it comes to more private things like vacations and meals at restaurants, it shouldn’t be something that they post about. At concert venues, there is security and lots of protection, but when just out and about, that guaranteed protection isn’t there. This is why celebrities and their close friends and family need to take better protocols in order to ensure celebrities’ safety.  

By Caroline Cranman