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    Social Media, Newsworthiness, and Missing White Woman Syndrome: A Criminological Analysis


    Brandon, Avril, Emandache, Erika and Iwaniec, Aleksandra (2024) Social Media, Newsworthiness, and Missing White Woman Syndrome: A Criminological Analysis. Social Sciences, 13 (1). p. 44. ISSN 2076-0760

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    Abstract

    Missing White Woman Syndrome has been widely acknowledged within traditional mainstream media, resulting in a heavy focus on missing white women and a simultaneous underrepresentation of missing women from minority ethnic communities. However, less is known about whether this has carried through to social media, wherein users play a key role in determining what becomes widespread news. This review seeks to examine this issue with reference to existing research. It begins by exploring the concept of newsworthiness and the ways in which social media influences the distribution of news. It will then review the concept of the ‘ideal victim’, and its continued association with ethnicity. Finally, the review will examine Missing White Woman Syndrome and the ways in which it has historically manifested within traditional media and continues to manifest on social media. The review will conclude with a discussion on findings and avenues for future research in Ireland and internationally.
    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: missing white woman syndrome; racialised minorities; white female victim effect; victimology; racism; feminism; social media;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Social Sciences > Law
    Item ID: 19653
    Identification Number: 10.3390/socsci13010044
    Depositing User: Avril Brandon
    Date Deposited: 08 Apr 2025 09:43
    Journal or Publication Title: Social Sciences
    Publisher: MDPI
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    URI: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/19653
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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