Why your Facebook friends are checking in at Standing Rock

[bananas]

Source: CNN

Protesters are using a new weapon in their push to block the Dakota Access Pipeline: Facebook.

By Monday, hundreds of thousands of people had checked in at Standing Rock Indian Reservation on the social networking site.

But many of them weren't anywhere near the location where demonstrators have been picketing the controversial $3.7 billion pipeline.

A post circulating on Facebook gave one possible explanation for the surge in activity, claiming that the mass check-ins were organized to prevent local law enforcement from tracking protesters on social media.

<snip>

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/31/us/standing-rock-facebook-check-ins/index.html

[pnwmom]

1. Okay, that explains it! One of my teenage relatives had done that,

and it didn't make sense . . .

[mountain grammy]

2. I've seen many of my friends do it..

good idea.

[bananas]

3. Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/10/31/why-facebook-users-are-checking-in-at-standing-rock/

Why Facebook users are ‘checking in’ at Standing Rock
By Abby Ohlheiser October 31 at 4:14 PM

A magnifier in front of a Facebook logo. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)
By now, depending on your Facebook filter bubble, you’ve probably seen it: a Facebook friend “checking in” to Standing Rock, N.D., and then a separate post explaining the clever ploy that reads something like this:

“The Morton County Sheriff’s Department has been using Facebook check-ins to find out who is at Randing Stock in order to target them in attempts to disrupt the prayer camps. SO Water Protecters are calling on EVERYONE to check-in at Randing Stock, ND to overwhelm and confuse them. This is concrete action that can protect people putting their bodies and well-beings on the line that we can do without leaving our homes.

if you’re sharing your location at Randing Stock (which you should be doing)

1) make it public

2) make the clarification post separate, and so that only your friends can see it

3) don’t clarify on your check in, message friends who say “stay safe!” to let them know what’s up — the stay safe posts are more convincing / confusing for p*lice

4) copy paste to share clarification messages (like this one) because making it public blows our cover

5) say “Randing Stock” in clarification posts so that when they filter out / search those terms, your post is visible to the right people.”

The idea is spreading like a chain letter through Facebook as a meaningful way to help protesters who are trying to block the continued construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline, which protesters say would endanger the water supply of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation and destroy sacred burial grounds and artifacts. According to the Facebook meme, having thousands of supporters from across the country “checking in” at Standing Rock would help protesters who have been camping at the site by flooding a stream of potential intelligence for police with false information.

The thing is, no one so far seems to know who started the idea — or if it would actually work as stated. A representative for one of the major protest camps, however, told The Intersect in an email that while the idea did not originate from them, they support the viral post because of the attention it’s directing to their cause. “We support the tactic, and think it is a great way to express solidarity,” a spokesman for the Sacred Stone Camp wrote. “It looks like the copy and paste technique has created a unique way of generating numbers of support — it’s more impactful to see thousands of our friends take the time to create a unique status update.”

<snip>

[TeamPooka]

4. did it this morning

[uppityperson]

5. Check in for solidarity. It won't do anything about confusing law tracking protestors

http://www.snopes.com/facebook-check-in-at-standing-rock/

[dembotoz]

6. i did yesterday after someone explained how to do it......

solidarity if nothing else

first time i ever put my location on facebook.....as a rule i do not post personal stuff
security concerns....if someone think my being in nd would be a great time to rob my place....won't they be surprised when
they open the door and here i am....

[IronLionZion]

7. You can use the smartphone facebook app

there should be a check in button in the top right.

Search for standing rock. There are several variations of it.

No, the police are probably not tracking protestors on social media. it's more of a solidarity thing and to raise awareness by sharing it on social media since the news could not be bothered to cover it.

Never forget that Oregon standoff guys pointed loaded weapons at law enforcement and destroyed property and got off scot free while these unarmed peaceful people are being savagely beat up on their own land because they want to protect their drinking water.