DEATH TWEET

n.

A death threat written as a Twitter update.

—death tweeter n.

Vermont comedian Chris King was arrested Oct. 8 for tweeting: "I am dying inside. And I am plainly stating to you that I am going to kill the president." Such "death tweets" on the social media network Twitter have figured in several high-profile threat arrests.

—Patrik Jonsson, " Threats against Obama: Michael Stephen Bowden is just the latest: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/1126/Threats-against-Obama-Michael-Stephen-Bowden-is-just-the-latest," The Christian Science Monitor, November 26, 2010

Nobody seems to have a sense of humor about John Cusack's "satanic death tweet" from Sunday night. Some news giants (Fox News anyone?) believe the actor is "calling for the death of Newt Gingrich and House Majority Leader Dick Army," according to Rightcelebrity.com.

—Steve Spears, " John Cusack catches grief over 'satanic death tweet': http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/80s/content/john-cusack-catches-grief-over-satanic-death-tweet," St. Petersburg Times, September 8, 2010

Solly Forrell, the conservative blogger who called for Obama's assassination on twitter today, is being investigated by the Secret Service. Also, consider the phrase "death tweet" officially coined.

—" Obama Death Tweeter Being Investigated by Secret Service: http://gawker.com/5498597/obama-death-tweeter-being-investigated-by-secret-service," Gawker, March 21, 2010

Chris King's death tweet: http://twitter.com/\#!/SmellyOlTerriss/status/21792322912:

Solly Forell's death tweets (which have since been deleted from Twitter):

bashtag

death care industry

deather

tweet seats

tweetup

twimmolation

twitchfork

Twitterverse

Social Networking

Aging and Death

Crime