A Charlottetown boy was given 18 months probation Monday for making a threat against his school on Facebook, and may not use the internet during that time except to do homework.

Police tracked down the 16-year-old through his computer, and he pleaded guilty in December to posting a message that read: "There will be a shooting tomorrow at Charlottetown Rural High School. Hide."

The boy used a fake identity to send a message in October to two other students saying there would be a shooting at their school. Charlottetown police were called and armed officers were posted at the school the next day, and other security precautions were also taken.

The boy, whose identity is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was a student at Charlottetown Rural at the time but has since had to change schools.

While on probation, the teen will not be allowed on Faceook or MSN, and is only permitted to use the internet to do school work.

As part of his sentence, he was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

Judge Nancy Orr told the boy Monday that his prank had unnerved some staff, students and their parents and that concern had spread to other schools as well.

Outside court, Crown attorney Cheryl Schurman said the judge had taken into account the history of school shootings in Canada and abroad when imposing the sentence.

"The judge commented on that. None of these things are really ever going to be taken by the community as a joke, they're very serious, and the community reacted accordingly," Schurman said.

"This was essentially a threat via the internet. It was an appropriate — and I think a relevant — disposition for this young person."

Defence lawyer Alex Godfrey said the teen made a mistake.

"It was a mistake that he made just off the cuff. People send emails all the time off the cuff … and, unfortunately, some people don't realize the ramifications of putting something in such a public sphere," he said.

The teenager has written letters of apology to the school and to police.