As the reality of yesterday's shooting begins to set in, social networking sites have been flooded with tributes to the victims, survivors' accounts and condolences from around the world.
On Facebook, one of the most popular networking sites among US college students, 95,000 users have joined a group called 'A tribute to those who passed at the Virginia Tech shooting', to send their messages of support.
During the events, it has been reported that these sites were used as a means of communication by students trapped in classrooms and dormitories.
Kevin Cupp, a Computer Science student posted on his personal Twitter page via text message, simply saying: 'Trapped inside of Pamplin, shooter on campus, they won't let us leave.'
Then in the panic of the aftermath, students reassured friends and family that they were safe by updating their Facebook status, a feature allowing users to quickly post a short summary about what they are up to, that is displayed prominently on their profile and usually reserved for more trivial reflections.
For those who weren't so lucky, their personal profile pages, which on Facebook are accessible only by friends, have become shrines. These kinds of memorials have become something of a cultural phenomenon as social networking sites have increased in popularity. When a user dies, their page is an obvious place for friends to express their grief publicly and for the memory of the deceased to live on.
