# Social contagion: why we must stop spreading school violence videos

> Malaysians must stop sharing school violence videos to prevent copycat incidents.
- Title: Social contagion: why we must stop spreading school violence…
- Summary: Malaysians must stop sharing school violence videos to prevent copycat incidents. Public sharing of school violence content should cease to prevent social…
- Keywords: social contagion, school violence, copycat incidents, malaysian media, ethical reporting, don't name them, kuching school attack, lim yi wei, news, world, Social, contagion
- Source: Malay Mail — https://malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2026/10/22/social-contagion-why-we-must-stop-spreading-school-violence-videos-on-social-media-lim-yi-wei/240154
- Published: 2026-10-22T13:36:56+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: social contagion, school violence, copycat incidents, malaysian media, ethical reporting, don't name them, kuching school attack, lim yi wei, news, world
## Social contagion effect
Public sharing of school violence content should cease to prevent social contagion effects leading to copycat incidents.

> Social contagion refers to the spread of behaviours or ideas within groups, potentially driving further violent acts if such acts are sensationalised
## Kuching school attack
Police arrested a male student over alleged axe and penknife attack on a teacher at Kuching international school.
## Social media hashtags
Posts with #viralkan and #fyp hashtags boost algorithm visibility and generate shares and income for posters.
## Ethical reporting needed
Experts urge adoption of ethical, non-sensationalist reporting like the 'Don’t Name Them' movement to focus on victims.

> Ethical reporting, like the 'Don’t Name Them' movement, should be adopted to focus on victims rather than perpetrators
## Social contagion theory
Social contagion is a psychological phenomenon where behaviours, emotions, or ideas spread quickly through groups.

> Social contagion refers to the spread of behaviours or ideas within groups, potentially driving further violent acts if such acts are sensationalised
## US studies on school shootings
A 2015 US study found mass killings were motivated by similar events in the immediate past with temporary probability increase lasting 13 days.

> On average, this temporary increase in probability lasts 13 days
## Malaysian context
Malaysia has no strict gun laws but anything can be weaponised with intent and sufficient force.
## Call to action
Malaysians must stop sharing school violence photos and videos to prevent social contagion effects.
## Key takeaway

Public sharing of school violence content should cease to prevent social contagion effects leading to copycat incidents.