Moral Panics

Moral Panic

Book by Kenneth Thompson

Published by Routledge 1998



"Almost anything can spark off a panic , so the initial event can range as something as serious as children killing another child , to an incident of school bullying"



Moral Panics and The British Media

By Ian Marsh and Gaynor Melville

Internet Journal of Criminology

"A moral Panic refers to an exaggerated reaction , from the media police or wider public , to the activities of particular social groups"

"Such reporting and publicity has then led to an increase in general anxiety and concern about those activities"

"Young people are the usual target of moral panics, their behaviour is regarded as a barometer to test the health or sickness of a society"

"A condition , episode , person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat"

"Sometimes the panic passes over and is forgotten , except in folk-lore and collective memory"

"Since the term has been regularly used in the media to refer to all sorts of anti social and/or criminal behaviours"

"Societies appear to be subject , every now and then , to periods of moral panic"

" it's nature is presented in a stylized and stereotypical fashion by mass media"

"Moral Panics occur when the media turn a reasonably ordinary event and present it extraordinary"

"Moral Panics clarify the moral boundaries of the society in which they occur"

"Moral Panics occur during periods of rapid social change and anxiety"

"Moral panics are often exaggerated to create a 'buzz' or trend' within the media;specifically targeting certain groups of people and/or controversial issues"

"In a media saturated world , moral panics have less impact and nothing shocks us anymore"

"An approach with a strong focus on how society labels rule-breakers as belonging to particular deviant groups and how once a person or group is labelled, the actions they undertake are viewed and interpreted in terms of this label." 


Dangerous Games Play , Pleasure and Panics

Media Magazine


"New cultural forms have often been seen as potentially 'dangerous' - especially forms that are radically different from previous ones , or those that use new technologies"

"Today the release of a computer game or film still has the potential to generate controversy , and different media forms are monitored , reported on and at times censured should any media text be judged to be inappropriate , too rude , too violent or offensive"

"Pop music has often been a site for moral panic - particularly regarding adolescent sexuality"

"The panics generally come from an irrational fear , which ironically , is in part generated by the media itself"

"The fear and panic is often amplified by the media themselves"