8 ms·

I blame the traditional media for this one. The dutch media have been reporting on it for days before the event was supposed to happen. One media outlet even we

by waxjar 14y ago

I blame the traditional media for this one. The dutch media have been reporting on it for days before the event was supposed to happen. One media outlet even went as far as setting up a live stream for the "event". The traditional media hyped this up so bad, they essentially created a self-fulfilling prophecy.

andreasvc 14y ago
I agree, but of course they are quick to disavow any responsibility, saying only the people who decide to throw stones are to blame. Even worse than the live stream was the radio DJ who was encouraging people to go to the 'party' (he has since apologized). This relates a bit to the problem of copycat crimes and the reporting of suicides causing an increase in suicides. Publicity increases the problem, but it's hard to get all the media to agree voluntarily on not giving it too much attention. I wonder how this problem should be solved. In an ideal world you could have a system as in science with independent peer review, to do fact checking and preventing hypes. But of course such a system would be much too slow and you would have lots of people complaining it's not free press.
- rmc 14y ago
  This relates a bit to the problem of copycat crimes and the reporting of suicides causing an increase in suicides. Publicity increases the problem, but it's hard to get all the media to agree voluntarily on not giving it too much attention. It can work in reverse aswell. If car fatalities are reported more, people might become aware that cars are dangerous, and drive safer, hence reducing fatalities & injuries.
  - andreasvc 14y ago
    But does it, actually? I think there's a much stronger effect in the opposite case when it's about an idea being or not being in people's consciousness. Warning people about risks is in many cases not very effective, e.g., drunk driving, smoking, unhealthy diets.

by waxjar 14y ago

andreasvc 14y ago

I agree, but of course they are quick to disavow any responsibility, saying only the people who decide to throw stones are to blame. Even worse than the live stream was the radio DJ who was encouraging people to go to the 'party' (he has since apologized). This relates a bit to the problem of copycat crimes and the reporting of suicides causing an increase in suicides. Publicity increases the problem, but it's hard to get all the media to agree voluntarily on not giving it too much attention. I wonder how this problem should be solved. In an ideal world you could have a system as in science with independent peer review, to do fact checking and preventing hypes. But of course such a system would be much too slow and you would have lots of people complaining it's not free press.

rmc 14y ago
This relates a bit to the problem of copycat crimes and the reporting of suicides causing an increase in suicides. Publicity increases the problem, but it's hard to get all the media to agree voluntarily on not giving it too much attention. It can work in reverse aswell. If car fatalities are reported more, people might become aware that cars are dangerous, and drive safer, hence reducing fatalities & injuries.
- andreasvc 14y ago
  But does it, actually? I think there's a much stronger effect in the opposite case when it's about an idea being or not being in people's consciousness. Warning people about risks is in many cases not very effective, e.g., drunk driving, smoking, unhealthy diets.