"The brains of humans contain a mechanism that is designed to give priority to bad news." — Daniel Kahneman
News moves more quickly now than at any time in history. Television, online sites like Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc- these send stories everywhere nonstop. Often, what spreads isn’t hope or progress but reports tied to harm, cruelty, broken trust, and deep sorrow. Murders pop up daily. Family fights turn deadly. Scams trap people. Romance leads to bloodshed. These tales feel normal now. Reporters say their job is just to share facts. Yet a quiet thought lingers: could seeing so much bleakness reshape how someone thinks - or act - over time?
Today, what happens in India shows up elsewhere, too - it's worldwide. Stories about shocking crimes tend to grab people faster than good news does, no matter the country. Yet after the initial reaction fades, something heavier remains - the effect on minds and communities - something worth looking into closely.
The Repeated Exposure Psychology:
"Something abnormal always makes curiosity in minds-when, where, how, by whom, and whatnot"
Stories(related to something criminal or unacceptable events) that hit hard stick in our minds. When bad things happen, like crimes or fights, they spark reactions: fear creeps in, anger builds, sometimes people just stare. These feelings pull attention like wind pulls smoke. After seeing it again and again, the edges are dull. The jolt fades. Moments that made hearts race now pass without pause.
Most people start laughing off extreme behaviour after seeing the news of that specific event too much. Experts sometimes call this the "normalisation of abnormality." Over time, repeated exposure to violent scenes blurs what feels acceptable and what feels unacceptable. Right and wrong begin shifting when cruelty shows up everywhere. Not everyone who watches turns harmful, though. Still, steady images of wrongdoing shape how some minds work - more so in those already struggling.
Still, news reports often highlight a criminal's background, reasons, or techniques without meaning to. Because of that, the crime gains visibility - something some people chasing fame might find tempting.
The Copycat Effect: Real or Not?
"People talk about the process rather than what's wrong or right..."
Indian examples exploring influence
1. The Burari Deaths case (2018 Delhi):
During the summer of 2018, eleven people from the same household (the Bhatia family) in Burari lay motionless, tied up in their own home. The police concluded delusionally that the son of the family was channelling his dead father’s spirit. Stories spread fast, filled with notes left behind, strange routines, and how each person fell still at nearly the same time.
Influence and Similar Events:
Later on, a few months after that event, odd cases popped up across places such as Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Not quite the same, yet each carried traces of deep belief leading people down dangerous paths. One started with prayer, turning rigid, and another ended in families making fatal choices together.
Here comes the question: what happens next?
Could these actions have just happened by chance, yet heavy coverage of the Burari incident possibly planted dark ideas into fragile thoughts? Might repeated attention blur reality, so disturbing behaviours start feeling familiar instead?
2. The Blue Whale Challenge Wave ( 2017 to 2018):
A wave of stories in India tied teen deaths to something called the Blue Whale Challenge (Blue Whale Game). It is neither a downloadable application, software, nor an official game, but rather a malicious manipulation scheme operated through secret groups, chatrooms, and hashtags on various social media platforms. Reports spread fast, painting a grim picture online.
Influence and Similar Events:
One report after another turned up stories of teens hurting themselves while chasing a viral trend. Not far behind came warnings from officials in places such as West Bengal, where school kids mimicked dangerous stunts seen on screens. Maharashtra spoke up next, detailing how curiosity led some down risky paths. Then Kerala added its voice, showing how news reports sometimes made things worse instead of helping.
Now it shows itself plainly - the contradiction.
Could the news have alerted people to a serious risk, yet at the same time sparked interest among teens who are drawn to risky behaviour? Or was it simply reporting events without grasping the effect?
3. The Shraddha Walkar Murder Case (2022 New Delhi):
A killing marked by extreme violence ended with pieces of the victim, 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar, in New Delhi, by her live-in partner, Aaftab Amin Poonawala, scattered. What happened afterwards became a topic that spread through news outlets, examined again and again in different ways.
Influence and Other Similar Events:
Later on, stories began appearing across various areas of India about people charged with murder using nearly identical ways to hide bodies. In certain incidents around Delhi and surrounding zones, investigators noted the suspects might have learned those techniques by watching news reports or browsing material online.
So here it is - an uncomfortable thought takes shape
Could sharing too much about crimes turn news into a guide? Maybe facts cross a line when they show exactly how things happened.
4. The Meerut Blue Drum Murder Case (March 2025, Uttar Pradesh):
The killing of 29-year-old Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput by his wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla and then cutting his body parts into many parts, then using a drum colored blue and sealed with wet concrete - March 2025 lit up screens with that grim detail. Though quiet at first, the story grew loud, carried by voices on phones and glowing television boxes alike.
Influence and Similar Events:
Two months after that, come May 2025, news broke of the newlywed killing tied to Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya - details leaked about trust broken, plans made behind closed doors. Though each event played out differently, happening so near one another makes people pause. One wonders what lies underneath.
Maybe it was just a chance. Or perhaps the constant news about the Meerut case quietly shaped how people saw things afterwards. Hard to prove either way. Yet repeated stories like that often leave marks, even without clear evidence. Influence can slip in unseen.
India; Media Drama and Public Reaction :
"Does the media really think of its public or is all that matters TRP for them ?"
Nowhere is the race for ratings more visible than on Indian television news. Grim events are transformed by flashing graphics, urgent loud voices, and then looping footage till sorrow feels staged. Instead of calm updates, you get thunderous background scores swelling behind every crime report. Real pain stretches thin across hours, fed again and again through actors miming moments we never should replay. What once was journalism now leans hard into spectacle, dressed loud to hold eyes glued to screens.
Love stories gone wrong grab more attention than most crimes. When someone hurts a partner, cameras linger on photos of happier times. Emotion-heavy scripts play again and again across channels. These details stick fast in public memory. Yet behind the drama, subtle messages take root without notice. Passion shown as control slips through unnoticed. Pain used to justify rage gets framed as a tragic fate. Coverage meant to inform can quietly shape belief. Extreme acts start seeming like inevitable outcomes. What feels like storytelling becomes something heavier.
What stands out now is how false or partial stories move fast across online platforms. Spreading quickly, clips and updates often twist reality, adding weight to anxiety and distrust among people.
Global Perspective: A Shared Challenge for the world :
"Overhyping is everywhere, or just in India ?"
What spreads fast in one place often echoes elsewhere. News that highlights harm shows up everywhere, not just here. Headlines filled with violence tend to grab attention, so outlets lean into them - curiosity pulls people in, numbers go up when fear plays a role.
Take the U.S., where heavy news focus on school shootings stirs talk about what reporters should do differently. Some say saying attackers’ names too often, replaying their acts, this might fuel others who want attention. The pattern worries people watching closely.
Nowhere is the media's influence clearer than in how terror events unfold across European screens. Round-the-clock reports often magnify anxiety, feeding unease without meaning to. Sometimes, that endless spotlight does exactly what attackers hoped - gives them a stage. What spreads fast isn’t always facts, but feelings. Behind every headline, there’s a ripple effect nobody planned.
Out here, social media throws another layer into the mix - spreading info fast, no filters attached. While old-school reporting sticks to some basic rules about what’s right and wrong, most stuff online floats free, nobody really owning it. That gap? It opens doors for damage without anyone stepping up.
Do Negative News Directly Cause Crime?
"Negative news = more crime ?"
Looking at things evenly matters here. Hearing bad news every day won’t make someone break the law out of nowhere. A person’s choices often come from many directions - life situation, emotional state, family background, community pressures, money struggles - all tangled together.
Still, hearing about crimes in the news might play a part. When someone is struggling inside - feeling rage or unsteady - stories that go deep into criminal acts could plant suggestions or strengthen dark thinking. Then, the press does not start it, yet it helps speed it up.
A single moment of heartbreak could meet a flood of tales showing rage as an answer. Most will turn away from that path. Yet someone fragile may see it not just as possible but meaningful. Stories like these stick when pain is loud.
The Role and Importance of Responsible Journalism:
"Humanity comes first, then profession "
Some key principles that can help reduce harmful influence include:
- Avoiding Sensationalism
- Limiting Graphic Details
- Focusing on Impact
- Promoting Awareness
- Balanced Reporting
These days, a few nations set rules on how to cover delicate topics - suicide, for instance - to reduce the chances of imitation. Reporting on crime might follow that path too.
The Responsibility of the Society as a whole:
Most of the time, people overlook how much influence stories in newspapers or online actually hold. Yet communities cannot point fingers without looking inward, too. A person who questions what they see tends to stay clearer-headed than one who just accepts headlines. Seeing through filters matters more now, since screens shape so much of daily life.
Young minds often look to adults for direction when sorting through what they see. Teachers or parents shape how teens interpret the world around them. Because teenage years carry strong emotional shifts, harmful messages might stick deeper. Talking openly about current events helps youth reflect without pressure. Seeing stories through conversation builds clearer thinking over time.
What people post online matters more than many think. When shaky claims move fast through shares, worry spreads too - often without truth tagging along. A single click might feed doubt instead of clarity.
Finding Balance:
Here comes the truth: bad events stick around in every news cycle. Murders, wars, disasters - real things people must know about. Yet what shifts everything? How those tales unfold on screen or paper. The shape of a report changes its weight in public minds.
It might not tie each bad headline directly to a crime, yet the steady drip of grim stories adds up over time. Should some listeners act on what they hear, it underlines why care matters when sharing unsettling details.
Truth matters most when shared carefully. Still, delivering facts means nothing if pain follows close behind. Instead of hiding what’s real, shape it so people understand without getting hurt. Awareness works better when paired with care. Only then can stories lift communities instead of adding weight. The point? News ought to strengthen - not silently feed the problems it reports.
What if every time we come across a story, we stop and think? Am I just a viewer, or am I part of something bigger? By looking away, can we create habits that help us be more aware, care more, and hold people accountable? This decision doesn't just change how stories are shared; it also slowly changes how people interact with each other. How we react to stories matters more than we realise.
"Let's join hands for a better future."
References :
- www.wikipedia.com
- www.bbc.com
- www.thehindu.com
- www.ndtv.com
- www.youtube.com