How Social Media Effects College Students’ Perceptions of Police Brutality

Abstract

In the past few years, police brutality and excessive use of force has been one of the most prevalent social issues facing our society. Specific cases such as the ones involving Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Freddie Gray has garnered national attention, and sparked widespread controversy. The newfound interest in this issue is heavily linked to the advent of cell phones and social media which allow for the public to hold the police accountable for their actions and gives them a direct way for their opinions to be heard. Social media easily allows for raw, unedited videos of transgressions between police and citizens to be widely distributed and connects to generations that are not as invested in traditional news sources. Despite the affect that social media has had in this shift in the media, there is little research on how social media discussions and posts have impacted how the public perceives police brutality. This study seeks to find if there is a correlation between social media consumption and how college students view the issue of police brutality. The relationship will be determined by gauging students’ consumption of both traditional and social media and their opinions on specific use of force situations.