Patterns of media coverage repeated in online abuse on high-profile criminal cases

What relationship do the mainstream media have with online abuse on high-profile criminal cases? This article hopes to make a start at answering this question by examining tweets containing the #McCann hashtag, utilised by a highly engaged community of users to comment on all matters related to the disappearance of British child Madeleine McCann. On #McCann, the child’s parents and other players are often singled out as the perpetrators of her disappearance and other crimes, in a blend of harassment, defamation and insults with conspiracy theories, disinformation and a strong anti-establishment vein typical of the posttruth era. Through an experimental digital ethnography blending elements of content and discourse analysis, this research has observed the #McCann conversation and analysed 500 tweets with the hashtag, observing that some of the most offensive theories posted by users on Twitter reprised themes seen in the mainstream media at the time of the disappearance, which resulted in defamation lawsuits by the McCanns and in complaints about unethical reporting at the Leveson Inquiry. This raises questions about the mainstream media’s responsibility and duty of care towards people they report on in the digital age, and showcases a symbiotic yet diffident relationship between anti-establishment online users and traditional news media

Is there a crisis in British journalism?

No abstract available

As Little Regard in Life as in Death: A Critical Analysis of Subjugation and Accountability Following Deaths in Psychiatric Detention

This article draws on insights from doctoral research into deaths in psychiatric detention in England and Wales. As the article demonstrates, the response to patients in death has often been reflective of the response to them in life, both historically and contemporarily. Furthermore, the families and friends of patients and those who raised concerns have also been treated in a similar manner to patients themselves. Some of the key areas explored in the article are the exercise of power over patients and their advocates by the medical profession and other official bodies, including the oppression, categorization, and dismissal that they have faced. The contestations and challenges of this power will also be explored and how dominant voices have been challenged through the emergence of alternative truths. Post-death procedures will also be critically examined, primarily the inquest and investigation processes, with a focus on issues surrounding the secrecy and lack of accountability apparent