"A Solemn Pledge to Stop Encouraging
Copycat Murders"

• Repetitious use of criminals names and images encourages copycat behavior. Law-enforcement officials, social and scientific experts and bona fide research recognizes this fact. The broad public exposure of spree killers has harmful, deleterious effects on public safety. Google it for proof. Police nationwide implore media to curtail their ongoing glorification and literal promotion of heinous criminals.

• Raising the images and names of society's most ruthless criminals to iconic status is a perverse misuse of the public trust the First Amendment guarantees. It does nothing to advance the news cycle or inform the public. It is the worst form of yellow journalism, sensationalism, and pandering to the lowest base instincts of society, to attract audience and money.

• News media already wisely implement voluntary limits--on the identifying information for rape victims, images of the dead, minors charged with offenses, encouraging suicide contagion, delicate matters of national security such as troop movements, invasion of privacy,

personal financial data and other issues that require balancing the public's right to know with decency and propriety. Everything that can be published is already subject to sensible limitations.

• Gratuitous or repetitious use of jihadi and mass murderers' names and images belongs within the established set of reasonable limitations. Failure to do so is equivalent to justifying the open release of a rape victim's name and picture under the hopelessly specious rubric that it's news and the public has a right to know. Certain things are best left unsaid, as the media has already clearly and properly accepted.

• Voluntarily embracing this newly framed and reasonable ethical guideline will benefit and enhance respect for journalism from the public it serves. The media has two paths here: either let "The Golden Age of Glorifying Villains" come to an end or openly acknowledge its perpetuation. We urge and encourage all news media groups and professionals to adopt this ethical guideline into your existing set.