Annotated Bibliography for SOC

Pennsylvania State University. (2022, March 2). Social media affects on the criminal justice system. Applied Social Psychology: PSYCH 424 Blog. https://sites.psu.edu/aspsy/2022/03/02/social-media-affects-on-the-criminal-justice-system/

This blog explains how social media influences the criminal justice system by shaping public opinion and sometimes even legal decisions. It highlights how viral posts can create bias, leading to public pressure on legal outcomes. I learned that social media amplifies public involvement in criminal cases, which sometimes distorts facts and complicates justice. This aligns with our class discussions about the media’s role in shaping perceptions of crime. The source will help my project by demonstrating how constant exposure to online content impacts the way people perceive and react to crime, which ties into the idea of being “chronically online.”

Klas, N., Fomby, P., & Jameson, J. (2023). Social media and the law: A comparative review. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10268539/

This article provides a global perspective on how different countries use social media in legal cases, especially the challenges of dealing with misinformation and privacy concerns. I learned that being “chronically online” increases the role of social media as legal evidence in courts, often complicating the legal process. This fits with our class themes about the influence of digital environments on crime and justice. The article will help inform my project by offering insights into how constant online engagement is reshaping legal systems and public trust in criminal justice.

Ott, B. L. (2019). The age of Twitter: Donald J. Trump and the politics of debasement. Social Media + Society, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305119834585

Ott examines how social media platforms like Twitter change public discourse and skew perceptions of important issues like crime and justice. I learned that sensational content often distorts public understanding, which contributes to a warped sense of justice. This relates to class discussions about how media, particularly social media, shapes the public’s view of criminal justice. This source will help my project by showing how being “chronically online” can negatively affect the way people perceive crime and trust the justice system.

Silverman, J. (2024, January). How social media impacts criminal cases. Jed Silverman & Associates, PLLC. https://www.jedsilverman.com/blog/2024/january/how-social-media-impacts-criminal-cases/

This article explains how social media posts are used as evidence in criminal cases and how public opinion, shaped online, can influence courtroom outcomes. I learned that social media evidence is becoming more common in trials, but it also introduces bias and complicates the legal process. This connects with class discussions on how digital evidence is changing legal frameworks. It will inform my project by illustrating how being “chronically online” can lead to legal consequences, especially as online behaviors are increasingly scrutinized in criminal cases.

O’Malley, P. (2021, May 16). Social media & youth crime: The digital frontier of peer pressure. 2021 Networked Media Conference. https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2021/2021/05/16/social-media-youth-crime/

O’Malley explores how social media creates peer pressure that leads to youth crime, showing how the “chronically online” lifestyle contributes to harmful behavior. I learned that constant exposure to online platforms drives youth towards criminal activities, especially under the influence of peers. This ties into class discussions about how digital media fosters criminal behavior, especially among younger people. This source will be key to my project by showing the direct link between being chronically online and the rise in new forms of crime among young people.

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