Brown University Students Use Sidechat App During Campus Shooting

Sidechat as a Real-Time Information Source

• 💡 During a shooting at Brown University on December 13th, students utilized the anonymous app Sidechat to share information and document their experiences in real time.
• 📌 Sidechat is described as an app for college communities where verified users can discuss various topics, including current events.
• ⚡ A student posted a critical alert around 4:10 PM via Sidechat, advising others to stay away from a specific street, which was vital before official sources could disseminate information.

Community Support and Information Sharing

• 💬 The app fostered a sense of community, with users frequently asking for and providing sources for the information being shared.
• 🤝 Despite the fear and sadness, there was a strong sense of gratitude for how students supported one another during the unfolding events.
• 🧠 Students on lockdown used Sidechat to ask practical questions about safety, such as whether they could leave their location for food or use the restroom.
• ✅ Other students responded with crucial advice, urging them to wait for more information and remain inside, demonstrating a collective effort to ensure safety.

Student Resilience and Gratitude

• 👏 The speaker expressed deep gratitude and admiration for the resilience and resourcefulness of the students during the crisis.
• 🎭 The app served as a digital time capsule, capturing the fear, confusion, and grief experienced by the campus community as the shooting occurred.