Crisis PR & Crisis Communications
By EPR Editorial Team2 min read
Harrisburg University Crisis PR: Bans Social Media Activities for a Week
By EPR Editorial Team2 min read
The Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, a private college in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has decreed a social media blackout for the week. Steve Infanti, Harrisburg University's associate vice president for communications and marketing, told the media that the ban is intended as an exercise to "get students, staff and faculty to think about social media when they are not available." The Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, a private school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has decreed a social media blackout for the week. Steve Infanti, Harrisburg University's associate vice president for communications and marketing, told the media that the ban is intended as an exercise to "get students, staff and faculty to think about social media when they are not available." No one in the university can currently tween, update a Facebook profile or engage in any other social media activity. The university is blocking IP addresses for campus network computers to shut down access to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and instant messaging services such as AOL. "We want to challenge people to think about how they came to rely on it," noted Eric Darr, the university's executive vice president and provost. "We too have used lots of social media, some successfully, some of it not so successfully." Darr told the media that the staff uses social media to communicate with colleagues from the same line of work about curriculum ideas. The question this experiment is supposed to answer is whether the process would take longer if they had to rely only on face-to-face meetings, or whether the outcomes would be any different. At the end of this week's ban, students are expected to write an essay about the impact of social media on their lives and how the ban affected them. Additionally, the University held today a social media summit: Twittervention: Social Media & Legal Issues for Employers, Educators & Parents in the hope to move the conversation about social media to a more strategic level. What do you think about such an experiment? Would you be willing to participate? Can you imagine one week without social media?
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
EPR Editorial Team - Author at Everything Public Relations
Other news
See all
EPR Editorial Team · 05/13/2026
The Sunscreen Dermatologists Personally Use: Inside EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 is the #1 dermatologist-recommended professional sun care product in the United States. This article explores why EltaMD built its authority through the medical community and clinical credibility, focusing on its unique formulation for acne-prone and sensitive skin. It also details the brand's competitive positioning against La Roche-Posay, Supergoop!, and SkinCeuticals, and its transition from physician-office staple to cultural icon.
EPR Editorial Team · 05/13/2026
What Is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)? The 2026 Guide
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is a new discipline focused on optimizing a brand's presence to be retrieved and cited by AI engines like ChatGPT and Gemini. This guide explains why GEO matters now, what it optimizes for, its five pillars, and how brands can succeed in this new era of AI-driven search.
EPR Editorial Team · 05/13/2026
DSP Consolidation: M&A Communications in a 6-Player Market
The demand-side platform market is consolidating rapidly. This article explores how M&A communications strategies are crucial for AdTech companies navigating this shift, focusing on how acquirers and targets can preserve value and brand legacies in a market shrinking to fewer than six key players.
Never Miss a Headline
Daily PR headlines, weekly long-form analysis, and our proprietary research drops — straight to your inbox.