THEORY - Moral Panic

 Moral Panic

What is Moral Panic?

- Moral Panic are Irrational fears that have been spread and exaggerated by the media

There are 5 Stages of Moral Panic:  

1. Concern - An event sparks social anxiety
2. Hostility - Subculture is seen as FOLK DEVILS, targeted  by media.
3. Consensus - Takes over the narrative
4. Disproportionality - Threat is exaggerated
5. Volatility - A change is made in society

Recent Moral Panic

 

 Neil Postman published The Disappearance of Childhood. In this book, Postman made the case that kids are growing up far too quickly. He mostly blamed visual media, like television, for exposing kids to adult information before they could read.

Since then, there have been periodic moral panics concerning youngsters being exposed to offensive material on the internet and in other new media.