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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
September 17, 2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Washington, D.C. \u2013 Last week,\u00a0Gun Owners of America\u00a0(GOA) issued a public service announcement urging members of the public, mass media, and big tech to voluntarily avoid sharing the names and photographs of mass killers. This is already the policy of Gun Owners of America, and hopefully with more buy in from the public, media, and big tech, society can deny mass killers the fame they desire.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
World renowned psychologist, Dr. Jordan Peterson,\u00a0argues<\/a>\u00a0that much of what drives mass killers is the infamy they will gain over the airwaves and online for carrying out their evil deeds. Peer-reviewed research confirms this notion that when the media extensively report on mass killings and present photos and detailed reports about the killers themselves, it\u00a0can cause<\/a>\u00a0a \u201ccontagion\u201d or \u201ccopycat\u201d effect.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This public service announcement by GOA comes on the heels of Elon Musk and X\u00a0announcing<\/a>\u00a0users would be temporarily restricted from searching for the name of the Apalachee High School shooter, but unfortunately, many in big tech continue\u00a0to promote the names and details<\/a>\u00a0of these evil people. GOA\u2019s Aidan Johnston authored an\u00a0op-ed in The Blaze this week<\/a>\u00a0urging more corporations and society at large to voluntarily adopt similar practices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Senator Mike Lee and Rep. Andy Ogles have introduced a\u00a0resolution<\/a>\u00a0urging the media to voluntarily adopt such practices, which GOA fully supports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Aidan Johnston, GOA\u2019s Director of Federal Affairs, issued the following statement:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt\u2019s incumbent upon the media, big tech, and anyone else with a large following to take voluntary and reasonable measures to deny mass killers the free publicity they are seeking. This concept is not new, as quite often a similar practice is already employed when discussing suicides. There\u2019s no reason we cannot, as a society, urge these companies to adopt a similar practice, which will undoubtedly have a positive impact in reducing mass killings.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cGOA is working for real solutions that will have an impact while respecting Americans\u2019 civil liberties, and we won\u2019t stop fighting for that.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n GOA spokesmen are available for interviews.\u00a0 Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit\u00a0GOA\u2019s Press Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n