“He sought many things from his act of terror, but one was notoriety,” Ardern said. “And that is why you will never hear me mention his name.” She added, “He is a terrorist, he is a criminal, he is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless.”
In the past few years, there’s been a growing push for not just leaders like Ardern but the media and the general public as well to do what she’s doing here. The concern: Mass shooters are carrying out these horrific tragedies in part for fame and notoriety. Naming them widely in public discussions and media coverage gives them what they want — and signals to future would-be perpetrators what they can expect in the wake of an attack. [...]
But to do this, more people will need to get on board. Media around the world has widely reported the New Zealand shooter’s name and details from his manifesto, including, in some cases, linking directly to the manifesto itself. Until that changes, there will still be a strong incentive for potential copycats.
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