Are Viral Videos to Blame for Rising US Murder Rates?
Are viral videos to blame for rising US murder rates? The head of the FBI has asked whether police are holding back from their work through fear of going viral online.
Why have murder rates spiked in several US cities? The head of the FBI, James Comey, has asked whether police are holding back from their work through fear of being filmed on camera phones and going viral on YouTube. The theory has been dubbed the 鈥榁iral Video Effect鈥�, or the 鈥楩erguson Effect鈥� after the city that witnessed unrest after a black teenager was killed by a white police officer.
The theory has polarised opinion, but could there be any truth in it? We hear from experts on both sides of the debate, and speak to Richard Rosenfeld who has published the most recent piece of research.
Produced by Sam Judah.
(Photo: Yellow cordon that reads 'Police Line Do Not Cross'. Credit: Shutterstock)
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