SEARCHING FOR THE FORGOTTEN: EXAMINING THE ONLINE PRESENCE OF VICTIMS OF POLICE KILLINGS

Abstract

This paper examines the potential role of social media in enhancing the understanding and perception of victims of police killings and the data collection surrounding these incidents. Through a series of content analysis and social media mining exercises, the authors observe the emergence of three distinct types of social media content offered on victims of police killings: persistence of the deceased’s activity across social media, sensational commentary on videos and blog postings, and memorials on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. As part of a larger investigation of the availability and accessibility of official police homicide data, this paper aims to present social media data as a potentially powerful source of information to supplement quantitative reports. This process may be especially useful for the most affected communities, particularly BIPOC communities.