Man arrested for threat on social media

Gregory Phipps was arrested on Wednesday morning for posting threats on the social media site Erodr, according to the Columbia Police Department.

Tracy Perkins, a Boone County Sheriff detective in the Cyber Crimes Task Force, said threats made on social media have increased over the past couple of years. She said Missouri laws aren’t keeping up to date with technology.

Law enforcement categorizes cyber threats differently. Phipps was technically arrested for harassment, not for a cyber threat.

Perkins said many of the cyber threats are labeled as domestic abuse because they are made by partners who are no longer in a relationship.

Cyber threats are under-reported because people think that since it’s online, it’s not serious, according to Perkins.

Perkins said every case is different, but if someone feels intimidated, frightened, or emotionally distressed, the threat needs to be reported.