Ethical guidelines for coverage of harmful social media trends

Abstract

Ethical guidelines have been created and put into effect for media coverage of suicide. Similar guidelines have been drafted regarding coverage of school shootings. However, the media contagion effect is still spreading dangerous trends. This study will use agenda-setting, framing, media contagion and network theories as framework to investigate the ways in which trends which may otherwise be isolated and relatively innocuous can spread to the larger population and become physically or psychologically harmful; even life-threatening. In an analysis of a case-study of the phenomena, the “Tide Pod challenge,” this paper examines the media’s role in spreading this trend through sensationalist headlines. A guideline is proposed for identifying, covering and diffusing the effects of potentially dangerous copycat trends.