Unfortunately, outlets often ignore these guidelines. Researchers at Columbia University noted a 10 per cent rise in suicides in the months following the death of comedian Robin Williams.[14] They pointed to a potential contagion effect, given that many media reports about Williams’ death did not follow who guidelines, and the largest increase in suicides occurred in middle-aged men using the same method as Williams. There can be a similar effect with mass shootings; one study estimated that for every ten US mass shootings, there are two additional shootings as a result of social
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