The decision was taken after a request from the Public Ministry of Santa Catarina and based on research on the subject.
After the sequence of attacks on schools in Brazil, communication vehicles decided to change their policies and, from now on, they will no longer publish the photo or the name of the perpetrators of the crimes.
The decision, taken after the last case that left four children dead in a day care center in Blumenau, was accepted by Grupo Globo, CNN and Estado so far.
In the case of Grupo Globo, the news was given during the Jornal Nacional this Wednesday (5). Before, the broadcaster had as a rule to disclose the criminal’s data only once.
Grupo Globo changes policy on coverage of massacres. Know more: #JN pic.twitter.com/z2YQaqtpSs
— Jornal Nacional (@jornalnacional) April 5, 2023
CNN reported the change during the evening news CNN Prime Time. According to the broadcaster, the positioning responds to a request from the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Catarina.
CNN Brasil decided not to show the image, name or other information about the author of the attack in Blumenau. The position complies with a request by the Public Ministry of SC and follows the recommendation of specialists, under the risk of the exposure stimulating future acts of violence. #CNNBrasilPrimetime pic.twitter.com/flvXBiD4BD
— CNN Brasil (@CNNBrasil) April 6, 2023
The State, on the other hand, published a thread on Twitter, explaining the decision and informed that the measure was taken based on “research shows that this exposure can lead to an effect of contagion, appreciation and stimulation of the act of violence in individuals and communities of dio, which results in new cases”.
Research shows that this exposure can lead to an effect of contagion, appreciation and stimulation of the act of violence in individuals and communities of hatred, which results in new cases. The visibility of the aggressors is considered a trophy within these networks. (+)
— State (@State) April 5, 2023
Sleeping Giants Brasil also joined the vehicle mobilization campaign and released a video asking broadcasters to comply with the decision not to print the faces and names of the perpetrators of crimes.
Don’t give these criminals the prize. Do not disclose! pic.twitter.com/1Ca8g0HoQk
— Sleeping Giants Brasil (@slpng_giants_pt) April 6, 2023
Studies carried out mainly in the United States, where more than 100 mass shootings have already been recorded until March of this year according to the Gun Violence Archive, which consists of a research group that tracks this type of occurrence using police documents, confirm this effect. contagion and pointed out that for each attack on the school, three others are triggered.
This is largely due to the visibility that these cases end up having. There is a phenomenon called the contagion effect. From the moment you disclose, that you bring a lot of visibility to this situation, in a certain way, you end up stimulating similar cases. As soon as the news started to circulate, people started to see, in several vehicles, videos of the moment of the aggression. This type of exposure is extremely harmful, explained Marta Avancini, journalist and editor of the Associação de Jornalistas de Edicao (Jeduca) for Agncia Brasil.
