Influence of Mass Media: Fear of Crime Understanding the Elements of Manipulative Coverage of Crime by Social Media

Abstract

A comprehensive report by the Oxford Internet Institute highlights the rise of computational propaganda across 70 nations since 2017. The report reveals a staggering 150% increase in the organised dissemination of manipulative content on social media aimed at influencing public opinion. The report further investigates the methods and strategies employed by computational propaganda, including the use of fictitious profiles such as bots, hybrid accounts, and compromised profiles to spread false information. The findings indicate that 87% of countries used human accounts, 80% employed bot accounts, 11% used cyborg accounts, and 7% used hacked or stolen accounts to propagate their narratives (OII, 2019).