No Notoriety for Mass Shooters


No Notoriety for Mass Shooters
The Issue
Mass shootings in the United States continue to capture a lot of attention by the media. The continued reporting of the shooters’ names and images are inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. Research has found a contagion effect whereby the excessive emphasis on the perpetrators can inspire copycat attacks and can cause them to be more lethal as shooters try to outdo one another. We call upon the media to responsibly report on these stories by limiting the use of the names and photos of the perpetrators in their coverage in accordance with the No Notoriety (www.nonotoriety.com) campaign. Research (e.g., Schildkraut & McHale, 2018) shows that viewers still will follow these cases if this information is limited. Please support this call for responsible reporting in the coverage of mass shootings in the United States.

The Issue
Mass shootings in the United States continue to capture a lot of attention by the media. The continued reporting of the shooters’ names and images are inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. Research has found a contagion effect whereby the excessive emphasis on the perpetrators can inspire copycat attacks and can cause them to be more lethal as shooters try to outdo one another. We call upon the media to responsibly report on these stories by limiting the use of the names and photos of the perpetrators in their coverage in accordance with the No Notoriety (www.nonotoriety.com) campaign. Research (e.g., Schildkraut & McHale, 2018) shows that viewers still will follow these cases if this information is limited. Please support this call for responsible reporting in the coverage of mass shootings in the United States.

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Petition created on February 15, 2018




