How to Get Away with “Un-Aliving”: The Ethical Issue with True Crime

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The mass consumption of media with an emphasis on shock value is not a new phenomenon. The horror genre has employed this tactic for years, with franchises like “Terrifier” and “Jigsaw” portraying the goriest scenes imaginable to invoke an audience reaction. But what happens when this shocking media is no longer limited to fictional stories and events? 

The rise of true crime is a phenomenon that has taken the internet by storm and become massively popular, especially among female audiences. However, the genre itself is not new; it dates back to 16th century England when crime reports were circulated in pamphlets and ballads. This centuries-long captivation with gory details and grisly events has persisted into the modern day. Now, the question is being raised: is the consumption of true crime as entertainment ethical? 

It’s not the ethics of the general consumption of true crime itself that are being called into question, but rather its consumption within the context of entertainment. While engaging with true crime itself may help raise awareness for victims, many worry that this form of engagement with very real criminal cases as entertainment will lead to the events and the victims being treated as though they were fictional and not with the respect and care they should be addressed with. These worries have proven to be very well founded, as the unmonitored and largely lawless internet has proven to be a place where respect is not prioritized. 

This is evidenced in the case of Wade Wilson, who has come to be referred to in many online spaces. In 2019, Wilson was convicted of the horrific and senseless murders of two women: Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43. Wilson was subsequently arrested and tried for the murders. Following Wilson’s court appearances, he began to gain some notoriety on apps like TikTok, but not in the name of condemning his actions. Rather, people began to create romantic edits of the killer to songs like Britney Spears ' “Criminal,” and he was dubbed the “Joker Killer,” likening him to the fictional villain. This shocking and abhorrent behavior is not uncommon surrounding criminal cases, especially when the perpetrator is perceived as conventionally attractive. 

This lack of decorum was also seen in the cases of Richard Ramirez and Ted Bundy, both of whom received hundreds of fan letters after being convicted of their crimes. The unrestricted and impersonal nature of the internet and true crime media only exacerbates this ongoing issue of violent criminal cases not being taken seriously. Because many people interact with criminal cases within the context of entertainment, they shift from serious events to just that: sources of entertainment. Online communities have even taken to referring to violent events with the term “un-aliving,” a much too gentle way of referring to homicide. The only way to ethically consume true crime content is to understand it as the gut-wrenching and monstrous reality and treat cases with the proper respect, care, and delicacy they deserve.