In December, my entire TikTok For You page was consumed by content about Luigi Mangione, to the point where he had more aura than Superman. However, when I switched to FOX, the narrative was starkly different. FOX public commenter, Jesse Watters, implies that if “Mangione is not sentenced to death, [he hopes] someone will do him justice behind bars,” despite the fact that his only charges were carrying weapons without a license.
Within a week, I not only knew his name, but also the names of his family members. Even before he was convicted in a court of law, he had already been convicted in the court of social media.
Mangione’s name became synonymous with criminality before a trial could even take place. Instead of releasing the facts of the arrest, CNN went as far as to release private information about Manigone’s sister when he was only accused days before which spread across different social media platforms. This invasion of privacy highlights a crucial issue — the media often gets too far ahead of itself and neglects to consider the consequences of its actions on people’s lives.
Instead of allowing the legal process to unfold, people rush to conclusions, sharing their opinions and judgments across social media platforms. News is increasingly driven by audience engagement and sensationalism rather than the truth. As a result, by the time a trial begins, the court of social media has already established a narrative that can severely influence public opinion. For someone like Manigone, this makes it nearly impossible to receive a fair hearing, as the media has already decided his fate.
The most recent example was the controversy between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Initially, Lively sued Baldoni for “inappropriate and unwelcome behavior” during their film, “It Ends With Us.” Baldoni countersued, claiming Lively’s allegations were fabricated in an attempt to “destroy him.” Just last week, Baldoni released a recording from the film’s set, arguing that Lively’s claims of sexual harassment were untrue.
What’s especially frustrating is how quickly social media algorithms implement confirmation bias by highlighting parts of a conversation that align with one’s views and dismissing things that contradict them. When someone clicks on one video, they’re bombarded with similar videos over and over again while the other side of the story is hidden, pushing them to believe a specific narrative. Initially, Lively was criticized for not addressing the film’s focus on domestic abuse and primarily promoting her haircare brand during interviews.
When she later alleged she had been sexually harassed on set, social media users quickly sided with her, especially after the film crew appeared to support her. People even speculated that Ryan Reynolds, her husband, was present on set to protect her from Baldoni. When Baldoni’s tape was released, public opinion flipped again. This situation exemplifies how cancel culture, driven by individuals online rushing to conclusions, can swiftly turn against individuals without giving them a chance to defend themselves.
When we see an Instagram story or TikTok video, we often assume it’s the truth without bothering to do any further research. Most people would repost that same post, leading social media users to assume it’s true, even though the information can be blatantly false. We need to research the issues we see on social media to get the full picture. Holding people accountable is important, but we must consider the whole story, especially if a court investigation is involved.
Social media can blur the facts of a case with narratives based solely on public opinion. Stories can now be easily embellished. People often get drawn into attention-grabbing headlines for events on social media that could lead to a nuanced conversation, but the title may suggest something entirely different.
Using a single quote or presenting one-sided information can lead to an incomplete story. The media’s rush to judgment can quickly turn individuals into villains; however, we don’t have the right to decide whether Baldoni or Lively is telling the truth, or to assume Mangione is automatically the killer when he denies the charges. Social media managers need to be more careful with stories before we jump to conclusions.
Accusations are not convictions.
