the true crime community is officially unhinged

[@lulujones]

I truly don't understand how anyone can find Ted Bundy attractive, he looks like a creepy uncle who asks if you're wearing bras yet

[@lotofmalarkey434]

I heard that one of the reasons why it took so long for police to suspect Ted Bundy was that they thought he was too plain and unassuming looking to lure women. Kind of a weird take that only pretty people could be killers but go off 80s Police Departments

[@lulujones]

​@@caseyaonso4270 also jeffrey dahmer looks like a first year college student who has a pulp fiction poster in his room cause he's into "obscure movies"

[@ilovebigduck1880]

@@lulujones and the way he walks like he shit his pants

[@sophiajackson8843]

i’m sorry that comparison made me spit on my phone screen

[@juicethegoose4738]

you’re not wrong

[@TaraMooknee]

"there's nothing wrong with therapy...but you just need it" LOL

[@silviae5082]

hi tara

[@mh-rb8mk]

@@silviae5082 hi silvia

[@lj5332]

Hey, love your channel. Thank you for reminding me to go back on it again soon. Haven't done that in a while.

[@danes6978]

@@lj5332 same

[@jvgreendarmok]

@@lj5332 You need to become one of her "little subscriptions".

[@Xuzon]

I enjoy the JCS type content mostly due to interrogation anslysis. It doesn't focus on victims, it doesn't even focus so much on perpetrators - it's the applied psychology that happens in those rooms that's fascinating.

[@bigrips7734]

Matt Orchard does similar videos just in case ppl ran out of jcs look in for like fare.

[@elianaceballos7611]

@@bigrips7734 EWU is a really good true crime channel too

[@ZombieMiezz]

Yep! Totally agree! Also very good are: Matt Orchard This is Monsters True Crime Loser Dr. Todd Grande

[@spicysouthernreads]

The best is Stephanie Harlowe for deep dives into cases but I agree JCS’s content is fascinating and great for long drives.

[@yamimarus3550]

@@spicysouthernreads 100% second stephanie harlowe

[@gab.bee123]

shocked that she didn't talk about the folks with true crime themed tattoos (ex. bundy's face, the silhouette of the columbine guys from the cctv footage in the school, etc etc). THAT'S the most insane corner of the fandom i've seen

[@gab.bee123]

@@caseyaonso4270 YES!!! i wish i was lying 😭😭 saw it on tumblr (of course)

[@ayggwhy5466]

I've seen people with Bundy's bite mark tattooed. He left that mark on a victim MESSED UP

[@ah.neat.408]

I remember going to Barnes and Nobles and seeing a serial killer coloring book, it's just so inappropriate. Coloring books are for relaxing, and your gonna use serial killers who has caused harm to the victim and their families as the subject??? The maker for it does not deserve any profit. Feels so gross to encourage people to color a picture of Ted Bundy for fun.

[@sophievandermeer9271]

@@caseyaonso4270 i thi k jeffree star actuslly had s jonbenet ramsey tattoo

[@void-xt8pw]

​@@ah.neat.408 gosh this reminds me of a popular true crime youtuber bailey sarian who has and promoted that book.. (or a similar one) nice to know I'm not the only one who feels that's messed up.

[@sorryitsarii]

I think the Gabby Petito case has shown how many people are in true crime just for a cash grab and not because they care about the victim or their families. It's been wild to see so many people who've never mentioned true crime before make videos about the case just because it's gone viral

[@TheKnallkorper]

Yeah and some people trying to treat it like they’re the investigators, searching on maps trying to find her or him, and it’s just like, there is a real family out there suffering right now and they’re making it into a game.

[@HonorWillow]

Especially because no true crime youtuber should be making a video when a case is so recent. It's irresponsible as not enough information is out there

[@beeboop4556]

especially those “psychics” that think they’re “feeling” the scene or whatever and they think they’re absolute geniuses when they actually are just making the publicity of the case even worse

[@Tara-cv2kz]

interesting. I’ve heard other people say that it’s heartwarming to see so many people talking about that tragic case

[@rVnsunshine]

@@Tara-cv2kz less heartwarming when there’s 30 mid roll ads

[@stephanyneethling1714]

In 2019 my life turned into a real life true crime never-ending episode when my husband was murdered. I didn't watch anything to do with true crime for over a year because it was too traumatic. I've always loved true crime, not necessarily the "make up and murder" stuff (I can't watch those I only listen because it's not about the make up) but I do agree that a lot of people have turned peoples trauma into cheap sensation and clout chasing. Fast forward to today I'm finishing my second year of a bachelors degree in Criminology majoring in Psychology which is turning my fascination with crime into something more constructive. With my degree I'm hoping to become a grief counsellor to help people who have been victims of crime or lost loved ones to crime

[@krissybee123]

Wow that’s amazing. So sorry to hear about your loss I can’t imagine going through something like that. I hope you’re doing better now. Sending love your way ✨💓

[@modusoperandiunknown]

I'm so sorry for your loss 💜

[@lemonademan8105]

I think that's a beautiful goal. I'm so sorry for your loss though, I can't begin to imagine what that was like. I really hope you make that dream happen, you sound like a wonderful person. Thank you for trying to bring some more peace and happiness to the world ❤ I hope you do well!

[@MeetingtheMorning13]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know you're going to be such a blessing to other people who have had to experience these terrible traumas.

[@8symmetreylover8]

So sorry for your loss and good luck on your future journeys. You will change many peoples lives for the better at their worst moments, that is truly amazing and I wish you the best

[@sarabrenna5525]

I am autistic and true crime has been a special interest of mine since i was a teenager. I am more interested in the psychology of violent crimes, like what makes people commit heinous crimes against other human beings and is there a way to prevent it? I usually look for content that focuses on the psychological aspect and is respectful towards the victims and their loved ones. I rarely engage in conversations about these topics with other people online or irl, especially since the last time i tried someone asked me "who is your favorite serial killer?" These are people who committed atrocities against other human beings, we're not talking about members of a kpop group Susan.

[@isumin1534]

“Who is your favorite serial killer” WOAH THAT IS SOOO MESSED UP. Like how could you Ben have a favorite murderer who took lives and caused others trauma

[@juliaholladay8821]

Perfectly said!

[@CosmicAlliance03]

People make it out to be this...weird almost cinematic universe. People asking "who's your favorite serial killer?" Are just so out of touch. I can understand having a conversation and maybe bringing up who is a serial killer that psychologically intrigues someone the most (as in, the one that makes oneself really dive into applied psychological theory and research).

[@mylamason9441]

this right here!

[@orangeradishneo]

I completely agree. I've always been interested in Psychology in general, this is just one extreme aspect of it. I try to stick to consuming content that doesn't interject personal opinions (i.e the more casual style such as Kendall Rae - she's great, but I sometimes notice a few personal opinions that might create a bias in the audience) because that's where I find the sensationalizing of these stories seem to leak through, mainly in the comments. The more casual someone seems to be when retelling an event, the more likely people will be to insert their opinions. I like Mr. Ballen. His thumbnails and titles are extremely clickbaitey, but the way he tells these stories is done in a way I find fairly respectful, and only gives an opinion/comments on something when he has experience and/or can explain something.

[@nbv6975]

I don’t think enjoying true crime as a baseline is a bad thing, simply because I think it’s extremely natural. We’ve always told stories about real people having horrifying things happen to them, look at some of Shakespeare’s histories. They were dramatized for sure, but that’s always how we as humans have been. I personally enjoy a specific segment of true crime (older solved stories). I think where it gets bad is when the interactivity of the internet gets invovled. When you can directly engage with other people and the victims or the villains of the storie itself, I think people will always take it too far and it will get bad.

[@goobertron9099]

Thisss!!!!

[@charlenembarga3239]

EX.AC.T.LYYY !

[@spamgarbage6999]

I mean people have also been taking it too far since before the internet, charlie manson had legit groupies who would mail him letters saying they loved him, same for alot of other serial killers, women would marry them while they were in jail. People stay hella weird

[@41052]

It’s simply natural to make up stories of fictional characters. Not dramatize peoples murders, Shakespeare’s people are just characters.

[@blackstarninja6785]

It’s hard to look in the comments section of some of these videos though, people get truly vile toward people in the stories, and I think it’s hard to draw the line and realize these are real people. Even older solved stories must be really rough on family members, and this resurgence in popularity is making it very hard to avoid seeing. I live in the Ted Bundy area and it’s not so old a story that there aren’t people around who lost someone to him, I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to see someone wearing a t shirt about it when you’ve lived it.

[@unlaidenswallow]

I cannot imagine wearing a shirt that flexes the fact you haven’t been murdered (that part especially as feels weirdly victim-blamey)

[@lauratroy13]

And imagine then getting k in that shirt fr

[@timoh2248]

Lmao the irony of wearing that shirt and actually getting murdered

[@katkay9923]

@@timoh2248 If I were a serial killer If solely go after ppl like this just to teach them a lesson

[@aves3901]

that one is a reference to the my favorite murder podcast, their catchphrase is “stay sexy and don’t get murdered” and a running theme of the cases they talk about is “stay out of the forest”

[@crazy4beatles]

a perfect example of things losing context and ending up as a cringey catch phrase. There’s a conversation to be had about women being socially conditioned in ways that make them vulnerable - ie being more afraid of seeming rude than of removing themselves from a potentially dangerous situation. But when heard as a catchphrase - especially as said in a peppy voice comes off as minimizing the ordeals or worst victim blaming.

[@melonramune]

my aunt is a true crime enthusiast and at our family dinner she just goes "i'd love to see an execution live before i die! any kind would excite me, besides the guillotine maybe". now i don't believe in the death penalty. but even beyond that...what?? you want a front seat to killer's death like it's a concert or something? people were murdered, it's a tragic thing... i consume true crime content from time to time but some people have lost the plot.

[@ladygrace7585]

i thought we abandoned execution type entertainment in the 1600s 🥲😬

[@Zipzapadam]

What the actual fuck 😃

[@SoWhosGae]

As a true crime enthusiast: wtf?! I've legit cried in some cases let alone thinking about being excited to see an excecution live like ...

[@solarmoth4628]

lady grace I feel like it was valid entertainment well into the late 1800’s I don’t understand how watching a person die could be like family entertainment?

[@ImaginaryMeg]

@@ladygrace7585 Yikes wait till you hear about public lynchings in the 1960s. The last public lynching occurred in Alabama in 1981!

[@waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa9739]

14:04 Just like with the Elisa Lam case being turned into a paranormal bogeyman story because so many content makers left out the part about the tank lid actually being open. It's just one of the instances that piss me off so much, though.

[@mayflyforyou]

That one really pissed me off.

[@r.j.penfold]

Yeah, that rubbed me the wrong way. She was a mentally ill young lady who was in a new place and was stressed out and had stopped her medication. There's no ghosts or elevator games or whatever. Just someone who wasn't able to get proper help and a potential freak accident.

[@XDisAwesomest]

They were downplaying and sensationalizing mental illness just for entertainment and that fucking pissed me off. I never looked too much into the case before watching the doc on netflix but I always heard about it being really crazy. I watched the doc and was baffled at how straightforward the case actually was!! As soon as they spoke about her history with mental illness the video made so much sense and so did everything else!

[@mayflyforyou]

@@XDisAwesomest I know, and when they had mentioned the building caretaker finding her, they just conveniently decided to not immediately say whether or not the tank lid was open? So stupid and really sensationalized the whole thing.

[@anromeow]

this! and they also completely messed up the life of the rock artist that wasn't even in the hotel at the time of the death. he just happened to be alternative, Latino and a death metal composer. he wasn't related to her at all and yet the entire internet attacked him for it.

[@sheridanfrancis4814]

There’s a lot of true crime content creators who need to stop because they are so gross and disrespectful. I think some people do a good job of making true crime content, and it’s really up to us as viewers to do our best to consume this content ethically. You have to remember that these aren’t tv shows, you don’t have all the facts, and when you comment on and attack the people involved it affects them in real life.

[@AxxLAfriku]

whyd you have to go and make things so complicated? i see the way youre acting like youre somebody else. gets me frustrated. simply admit that i am the funniest and greatest and sm*rtest and coolest and strongest yout*ber of all time! admit it, dear sher

[@VirginiaDowdy777821]

@@AxxLAfriku You seriously had to censor out "smartest"?

[@greatestever247]

@@AxxLAfriku did you seriously break out into a song mid sentence ? Lolll

[@byrnetdown6076]

yeah i agree i had to stop watching all the true crime channels i used to watch as a kid now i only watch stephanie harlowe because i think she does the best job of really humanizing the people in the stories before she talks about the actual crime involved

[@perryrhinitis]

*cough*my favorite murder*cough*

[@caseyrichardson6941]

I just wanna know what goes through people’s minds when they do things like this?? Like how can someone think that serial killers should be idolized?? It’s so baffling.

[@caseyrichardson6941]

@@caseyaonso4270 I will definitely!

[@luluscaglione]

In my opinion it is because people don't see those histories as real you know? It just someone talking about in a very enternaining way. It sounds too far away for people to relate to the victims. And then there is the whole blame on the victim thing. So i think people treat it as if those criminals were their favorite villain from their favorite show. Idk that's just a guess.

[@N.slash.A.]

Hybristophilia

[@jules6626]

These people aren’t necessarily in the true crime community, but I’ve found so-called ‘psychics’ to be utterly disrespectful as of lately. I’ve seen several of these across TikTok and KZbin, where they sit down with cards or candles or whatever and try to predict missing person’s cases like they’re some kind of fucking magicians. It’s very obvious that it’s all for clicks and views but they treat it like a game and it really irks me to see them downplay someone else’s trauma/tragedy.

[@mothma_am]

thank you! as someone who believes in divination/psychic abilities (to an extent), I still find it extremely disrespectful.

[@Starburst514]

They've always been there sadly. I saw an interview with the mother of Johnny Gosch (a boy who went missing in the late 70s) and she said for years the police and then her family's home got calls and letters from "psychics" who called just to tell them about all these AWFUL things that were happening to her son/how he was r*ped, killed, etc. And never anything like "who may have done it" or "where his body is" and stuff.

[@aeoligarlic4024]

Thank you for pointing this out! Sadly the fake witch community is thriving in tiktok.. i've heard a case where a mom plunged into depression when a 'psychic' claims that her missing daughter is already dead. While in reality she's actually still alive!

[@booktales1687]

@@aeoligarlic4024 holy shit that’s awful

[@ZachPlum]

@@mothma_am You're part of the problem then

[@hellothere-fq4ty]

you should have given a content warning for the breakdancing potatoes because holy shit

[@lulujones]

they're beans don't misfood them like that

[@CaseyKiddRap]

I know they don’t look like it, but I kid you not when I tell you those are supposed to be coffee beans. It’s from a cult classic movie on KZbin called Killer Bean Forever.

[@ScientificallyStupid]

I actually thought they were chicken McNuggets bc I'm old enough to remember when McDonald's used adorable nugget puppets in their commercials (in the 80's) and this seemed like a very "90s" logical next step. I just assumed all my time chugging cold medicine in my teens resulted in some sort of blackout and I couldn't actually remember seeing this.

[@TayahPrice]

I always felt as though there needs to be a deeper dive in the beauty guru/GRWM true crime videos. I don’t know why, but there’s just something a bit…. off about that type of content. Like pausing to explain which colorpop eyeshadow palette you’re using whilst being in the middle of relaying a horrific crime that took place is pretty wild, IMO.

[@jifij89]

omg yes i feel the same way!!!! no matter how respectful they try to be, it always comes off exploitative

[@waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa9739]

Absolutely agree, I've always wanted a discussion on this but was always too anxious to start it myself because of the possible backlash. There's something especially sinister about showcasing an obviously excessive lifestyle while so many of these people died because of the lack of protection and the system failing them, many of them coming from a lower social class, while the storyteller seems completely oblivious to it. And don't even get me started on TC mukbangers, that is frankly sometimes more horrifying than the crimes themselves

[@TayahPrice]

@@waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa9739 agree with you 100% and omg you’re kidding! There’s TC mukbangers?! That’s the most craziest ish I’ve heard

[@majimeow3098]

@@waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa9739 EXACTLY with the mukbangers like I would lose my appetite not savor a meal???

[@avam3740]

agreed. I’d say the only person who truly breaks the mold of this that I know of is Bailey Sarian. She does all her sponsors before hand, she only puts the stuff she’s using in the description rather than in the mid of the vid, she doesn’t put weird/eerie music in the background and is respectful of the victims, and she actually gets her research right and understands how corrupt the Justice system is. She’s like the only person I can watch when it comes to true crime, maybe Kendall Rae

[@Beanandturnip]

Truer Crime is a great podcast that actively tries to reverse the weird entertainment, dehumanizing aspect of a lot of true crime content. The creator, Celisia Stanton, focuses not only on the victims and their families/communities, but on the systemic issues that foster the environment where tragedies take place. There are also resources shared at the end of each episode to learn more and how you can help those impacted. It’s a really in-depth take into everything that’s wrong with our justice system and many other facets of society and I really recommend it!

[@rachellucarz]

Yes!!! This is what I can here to comment as well! Truer Crime (and Celisia herself) is fantastic.

[@SpurgeonGeneral46]

Celisia’s an icon

[@dodaprettygirlrock]

Will definitely check out!

[@byrnetdown6076]

sounds awesome! gonna check it out! the only true crime i consume now is stephanie harlowe and im always looking for informative and respectful takes on cases

[@harriet8849]

Murder in the Rain is similar and focusing on crime in the Pacific northwest

[@msjkramey]

You mentioning how the families might feel reminds me of how Wendy Williams and Lifetime made an unauthorized biopic about Aaliyah. They went through something traumatic in losing a child so young and didn't want it made. But WW was just like "well, we're gonna do it anyways but it'll be tasteful." What a gross cash grab fr

[@lulujones]

R K***y just got convicted 🥰

[@linny516]

what else do we expect from miss Wendy at this point

[@Angel_4574]

Wendy Williams is a demon, its in her eyes

[@Chuck_EL]

@@linny516 right shes the same person who told a woman to sexual assault her husband so she can get a baby that he didnt want to have and shes mocked may black celebrities deaths over the years

[@ashrosek5327]

im SPOOKED i was just writing an essay on society’s obsession with true crime

[@rebeccanater]

its always creeped me out, and if its a missing persons case, the captor could be seeing this "fandom" forming around their crimes and provoke them further.

[@williehornung]

the “stays out of the forest and doesn’t get murdered” shirt is so victim-blame-y..

[@Deviltwinbob]

It's a reference to the podcast My Favourite Murder, which, from the outside and description sounds pretty bad but the hosts Karen and Georgia are generally really respectful. They have talked about how that phrasing of 'stay out of the forest' was a bit victim blame-y and apologise when they are called out for things they say without realising what it could mean to someone. Their tagline is 'Stay sexy and don't get murdered' but I'm pretty sure that isn't official merchandise.

[@snakewithapen5489]

*gets murdered from trying to live out my epic cottagecore dreams*

[@chickpeapasta]

It’s literally an inside joke for people who listen to their podcast. Calm down.

[@mfitzburger5137]

@@Deviltwinbob "outside and description sounds pretty bad" um no, it IS pretty bad

[@Deviltwinbob]

Have you listened to it or are you going off the description? Like have your opinion but make sure it has basis

[@natureaker5538]

i actually used to run a tumblr blog about missing persons cases & other true crime content a few years back. everything was extremely informative & i started it to spread awareness about cases that i thought were interesting. the part about misinformation really resonated with me because i was super scared of spreading misinformation even when making those posts. i got messages from time to time from other true crime fans telling me to fix my posts because of factual errors that i missed while researching. honestly, it's part of the reason why i got rid of the blog entirely. i wanted the victims stories out to more people since a lot of the ones i posted about were not well known, but correct information online can be hard to come by, and it stressed me out immensely whether i fucked up or not. also researching that shit all day put me in such a bad state mentally.

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

I’m glad you called out the GRWM bs…it’s so disturbing that they make a joke out of it

[@sydney.mp4]

hear me out: ranking tumblr controversies/controversial communities also, i do wanna shout out danelle hallan's channel. she focuses on missing persons cases, especially ones that don't get as much coverage, and is almost always in touch with the families. she presents some of the main theories around the cases but rarely adds her own (and if she does they're never super sensational or otherwise made-for-entertainment). she also consistently donates to the families.

[@punkprincess6573]

Danelle Hallan and Kendall Rae are the only true crime youtubers that seem to legitimately care. They’ve had families call them to help, donated money to help searches, and so on.

[@robinmiller7142]

If you like them I think you will also like Georgia Marie. She is also very respectful like Danielle and Kendall and also does a history series. They are really the only three I watch anymore.

[@Kayla-rd5jd]

Sunny Shan V. is a very small but passionate and caring true crime youtubers as well! i just found her and really enjoy how she talks of the crimes in a respectful manner especially with talking about less well-known and POC victim stories!

[@punkprincess6573]

@@caseyaonso4270 danelle is absolutely amazing. The research she does is so deep and thorough.

[@meggomyeggo431]

I’d add Stephanie Harlow to the list as well. Very well researched, very supportive of victims and their families, and extremely dedicated to getting justice for victims and their families

[@xoxolivgrace]

@@meggomyeggo431 I love her content so much!

[@user-lz1zw4dn2n]

I will say, though, that Kendall Rae is different. She holds fundraisers for families, she has families reach out to her and even includes them in videos sometimes. Especially when a case isn’t gaining enough traction. She doesn’t do it for the clout.

[@reesekosinski124]

i agree and watch her videos but sometimes her thumbnails are so clickbaity like how she poses and takes a photo of herself making a “shocked” face. thats the only thing that i dislike about her the videos themselves are great from what ive seen

[@kategaddis199]

@@reesekosinski124 I noticed that too but I think she doesn’t really do that anymore.

[@bubblegumbxtch9544]

I love Kendall, she researches well, talks to the victim's families, never blames anyone (even in her theories), she also demonetizes a lot of her content.

[@bubblegumbxtch9544]

@@reesekosinski124 In her older videos they definitely look like that, but I honestly feel like that was just the style of 2014 youtube.

[@mari98_]

My biggest turn off with a true crime community is the way they interact and examine evidence of police misconduct, systemic issues, and the failures of the policing and “justice” system at large and completely do not address these things within their content. There could be so much potential in having a broader audience look at the way that these institutions consistently fail women, children, and marginalized people but instead events are looked at in a worst-case scenario/one off/bad apple perspective.

[@thepanpiper7715]

Honestly, pretty much the reason that I ended up embracing true crime youtube and podcasts is because of this very point. Compared to honestly 99% of TV documentaries, KZbinrs and podcasters (at least the ones I listen to) are more willing to discuss the social and historical context of the crime, how that might have influenced the investigation and *far* more proactive about highlighting police apathy, incompetence and at times outright biases. Probably because most aren't looking to score an interview with officers who were on the case, but you get it.

[@maia_gaia]

It's wild to me how many cases are fumbled by the police, but then true crime creators will turn around and call someone suspicious for not letting the police walk all over them. Like we have seen SO MANY cases of police latching onto someone with no evidence, for example, but they want people to talk to police without a lawyer? Or search their home without a warrant? It's crazy to me.

[@thepanpiper7715]

@@maia_gaia Agreed - see also talking about whether someone was willing to take a polygraph or not, without also pointing out that polygraphs are highly unreliable and generally more useful as means of applying psychological pressure to aid in future interrogation rather than an actual guage of whether or not someone's innocent.

[@maia_gaia]

@@thepanpiper7715 yes! And the fact that "cooperating with police" is exclusively defined by the police. So one person demanding a lawyer could be a-okay but a different person doing the same thing will be labeled as uncooperative and crucified in the media on the word of police alone.

[@1917yee]

Oh my god thank you, it's why I hate true crime. People say BLM but then support TC content that lionizes the police

[@LoafMather]

The idea of telling a true crime story while doing a get ready with me feels really weird and inappropriate like “and then she was brutally murdered btw I’m using tarte shape tape as my concealer”

[@1337-i3v]

I don't think they mention the products. Hailey Elizabeth did something similar though... She was talking about the mysterious case and then said "oh god I'm not even doing my make up now hehe"... Very inappropriate. Thought to myself, why do you have to do your makeup while talking about this 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@booki7057]

“Her limbs were placed in four different barrels, All the blood was drained anyways does my lipstick look good… oh maybe pink would look better. too late.. Anyways then her cat exploded”

[@Holytitmouse]

... As someone who actually had to present a case to my boss over zoom during quarantine while doing my makeup.... Ouch

[@bubblegumbxtch9544]

I hate the grwm true crime content. It feels so disrespectful. My favorite true crime KZbinr is Kendall Rae, she does her research, just talks, no makeup, no visuals that aren't about the case.

[@GhostOfThisHouse]

literally...and it's always that thumbnail with them trying to look hot while posing next to the victims missing poster covered in shocked emojis, straight up disrespectful

[@ashrosek5327]

Honestly I’ve always felt uncomfortable with cases that happened recently… I understand someone in every case is going to have some living relatives but getting invested and learning about a case that happened in the 1800-early 1900s vs a case that is still actively being investigated/ had never gone cold has always felt a little icky

[@beatm6948]

There's a creator who has a 10+ year rule, unless someone specifically asks her for their, or their families story to be told. She has a few other rules to keep the victim in mind and respected.

[@amiyahancock4500]

who?

[@NA-kz5po]

WHO IS IT?!!;;;;

[@stanateezforgoodluck]

THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHO IS IT???

[@theorangedinosaur4098]

I’m courius who is it

[@beatm6948]

I'm so sorry y'all, i have no idea who. I do know she's on tik tok and has a podcast tho 😅

[@Rae-tz3qz]

i'm a consumer of true crime, but i definitely have to take breaks because sometimes i stop viewing cases as cases that affected real people, and more as entertainment. So, i think it's fine to listen/watch true crime because it is interesting and helpful, but we really have to remember that these are actual humans who had lives and deserve respect edit: grammar another edit: I also make sure to only listen to podcasts or watch videos where the people or person talking is being respectful

[@sigmalpha_testostronewolf]

I agree OwO ‼️

[@anna84259]

Same here. I consider myself a member of true crime community, and sometimes it's hard to balance between wanting to know about a crime, protect myself etc, and just having a detective story (which it technically is, but morally really isn't).

[@Rae-tz3qz]

@@anna84259 totally

[@TheTeddybear1992]

I'm a consumer of true crime also and, oddly enough, I've taught my kids lots from it, because of stuff like that could happen to them right here in our town😉

[@ratstanduser]

I agree. I watched a lot of true crime so much so that I became desensitized to it and when I watched a fictional crime show it was hard for me to tell the difference. So I took a break from true crime shows Wile I still watch them on occasion I agree with Casey, Balance is key.

[@okaokadu]

When you deal with stories of death and trauma, such as homicides and kidnappings, you need to keep a respectful tone. I think what happens to both the True Crime focused content creators and fans is that they consume so much of this content that they start to want to make/watch something new and dynamic and the traditional way of presenting the cases become "boring", which leads to the "quirky and fun" types of True Crime content that treat the story and the people involved more as fictional characters and movie scenes rather than real life people. IMO these people do need someone to shake them and humble them down, because as much as I find documentaries and factual videos interesting, so many people like me who have lost a loved one to a brutal crime find it terribly disrespectful and inhumane to treat murderers like pop stars.

[@lulujones]

I saw a really good documentary one time called Tower about a shooting in Texas in the sixties, and what was interesting was it's all told from the perspectives of people on the ground, some survived and some didn't. They never show the killer's face in the entire movie. When I googled the incident after finishing the film the FIRST THING that came up was like 5 pictures of the killer. Which proves the whole point of the doc: that the focus should be on the victims, the killers are just bastards who don't deserve to be remembered

[@gabriellaberman]

I feel the same way. People like Bailey Sarian makes it “fun and quirky” in her videos, which has never sat right with me. There’s a huge difference between people like her, where the focus is putting out a fun video, or creators who want to bring light to a case and justice to victims

[@screamingbanshee1282]

@@lulujones I agree with not focusing on the millers

[@lizdexamphetamine]

@@gabriellaberman bailey sarians videos don't sit right with me for that exact reason, as well as how she frames mental illness as something creepy and weird when it usually stems from larger traumas she doesn't care to understand. It feels disrespectful to everyone who might have that same illness and just adds stigma imo

[@Shinigami41395]

This is why I prefer to watch true crime videos that talk about the victims' stories just as much as they talk about the murderers' stories. When people focus too much on the murderers, it's easy for them to start thinking of the murderers' victims as nothing more than a list of names. That's how we end up with people treating murderers like pop stars. Talking about the victims' stories is very important for reminding people that these were real lives that deserve to be remembered.

[@emmafilet6138]

nickisnotgreen did a video about the gabby petito case specifically, and the comments made me realize that the way people have taken advantage of this case also goes for most "viral" missing person/murder cases. definitely changed the way i watch any true crime content on social media.

[@cori742]

yessss I love nick. I thought he handled that so well, especially because he donated the adsense and was able to raise like $2000 to help find other missing women. the way some people have been acting about this case is literally disgusting.

[@1337-i3v]

Out of nowhere, creators made videos about Todd Kohlhepp ("the Amazon kill*r"). Todd was jailed in 2017...

[@johnsmith2875]

The older I got, the less interested I got in true crime. I think when I was younger I was more detached from the world so it didn't feel weird but now it just disturbs me and deeply unsettles me. I can imagine what the victims went through a lot better and it's too overwhelming for me.

[@lances.8142]

Come on Casey, Dahmer's such a Scorpio!!!! You can't deny his energy is so quirk.

[@aisha8665]

Fr😫😫

[@nicolerichwine5767]

I just puked in my mouth.

[@lances.8142]

@@nicolerichwine5767 You must be an Aries, I can sense those negative vibes a mile away >:(((((((

[@duhastbitch]

😂 😂 😂

[@morgham666]

ugh truuuue scorpios are sooooo toxic😆‼︎‼︎😜

[@photographyserena]

Yeah I agree 100%. When Tristyn Bailey, a 13 year old girl was murdered earlier this year I watched a true crime KZbinr make a video on it and 7 minutes of that video was them advertising a company they were sponsored by, and that's just one example of how ignorant and tone deaf people in the true crime community can be.

[@nomi5466]

I wish these people would just think for one second the pain these people have endured. It's horrific that this is exciting for them.

[@nospoonfulofmayonnaiseforme]

oh my gosh i remember hearing about that on tiktok. I felt so sick and angry i almost went to hospital because i had a panic attack. awful.

[@sekar_exe]

Elisa Lam's case was one of the first cases that get me hooked into the true crime genre. Many videos made about her (and especially the ones from my country) were more focused on the CCTV footage and the supernatural theories. Then I watched That Chapter video of this case. He emphasized on Elisa's past life, her struggle with mental illness, reminding his viewers that she has friends and family just like all of us, and pretty much debunked the supernatural theories. That moment I realized why some TC KZbinrs just don't feel right to me. Some of them put cool nickname for the murderers and treat the victims as nameless bodies. Plus now, your video makes me even more mindful about what I consume as a viewer.

[@nickelzzz]

i really wish there was more "true crime" content about crimes that aren't murder like scam artists and companies being shitty and causing ppl to get hurt. its kinda similar to anti mlm content maybe but obvs not just ab mlms. idk i just find it a bit more interesting and more likely to happen to me than being murdered. (p.s. if that sounds interesting check out the swindled podcast, its on spotify and maybe other places too)

[@marzipan2555]

I know coffeezilla does content about scams, but yeah. I can't do murder stories but I was fascinated with theranos for a while

[@nicolerichwine5767]

Yooooo You should check out scam goddess if you haven't already. It's hilarious

[@laurenneluhren]

Check out the Scam Goddess podcast!

[@ShannaFarley]

Swindled is also a good true crime podcast not related to murders.

[@delormerr]

Criminal! Lots of varied stuff.

[@SkwithOv]

gabulosis is by far one of the best true crime youtubers, she works on exclusively vintage (20+ year old) cases and pretty much always tries to contact people directly involved (family or people who worked on the case) whenever possible and she;'s so respectful about it all

[@rachelevalyn]

Kendall Rae had a saying that’s “being an active true crime viewer” essentially meaning, boost the case through sharing the case, follow pages made by family members trying to bring attention to the case, sign petitions, etc. That type of thing is alright to me and Kendall is the only true crime youtuber I watch because she is very respectful to the families & often includes family members in her videos. Shit like “true crime addict” on shirts is crossing a line and it’s just weird... like these are real cases, with real victims with families who are still grieving. I think people need to be an active listener/viewer and keep in mind that these cases happened to real people and hurt the families.

[@jusdoriange7930]

I used to be more interested in true crime (some creators do have a respectful approach, work with families, are sceptical of the police, talk about the systemic issues, etc.) but I got a bit tired of it cuz the community (and some creators) can really be... something else lmao

[@ha-kf3rd]

i used to be obsessed with true crime youtubers/content creators but sometimes they get information wrong, they’re not sure about certain information that they say, or they forget to include other information. i mostly listen to podcasts and documentaries done by big teams of people, though the “scary” music that they put in the bg is irritating.

[@jusdoriange7930]

@@ha-kf3rd yeah! I enjoy many of the CBC ones for that reason, the research is often very well-done

[@gnomepng]

"we're still seeing the effects of tumblr even though it died in 2018" who is going to tell her tumblr is still Super active

[@gabriellaberman]

I’m a big fan of true crime and have been really interested in it for years. One thing that really gets under my skin though is people like Bailey Sarian who seems so detached from the victims she is talking about. Her whole persona is supposed to be quirky and fun, but it doesn’t sit right with me when she’s talking about a teenager getting brutally murdered. There are some content creators like Kendall Rae, who put the focus on the victims and how tragic the stories are. But people like Bailey just want to tell a CRAZY story. Plus, it didn’t sit right with me when reading Bailey’s comments and every comment is saying how their day got SO much better when she posted. These stories aren’t just fun plots. People died. It’s weird to me

[@miarose905]

100%, i used to watch Bailey Sarian until fairly recently but i just feel like the stories of real people have become mindless gossip to her & the comments don’t seem to notice. I can’t even begin to imagine how i would feel if someone close to me had something horrible happen to them & i saw it being discussed like fiction.

[@gabriellew.2070]

@@miarose905 FR. I think even she’s sick of it at this point

[@altacc66]

Agreed. I never watched Bailey, but when I saw that she did a video with Nancy Grace she lost all respect from me.

[@FreenBeckyFB]

Yeah Kendall Rae is a good content creator

[@MG-cj7ff]

@@altacc66 do you mind telling me what happened in that video that made you stop watching her ? I don’t wanna go watch it .

[@Sara-pj8tq]

I've had a similar journey with true crime as you, I used to be obsessed with it and thought it was so fascinating but recently bc of how popular it's gotten most ppl already know the "famous" cases and killers so people have started reporting on more recent stories, where the victims families are still very much alive and have to see people entertained by their tragedy. i saw a tiktok of a friend of a girl who was killed and whose story was being sensationalized by the TC community, she said it was very hurtful seeing people profiting off her friend's passing and people making up dumb theories about what happened because they thought the real story was "boring". it really opened my eyes about how disrespectful the TC community can be to victims and hurtful to their loved ones

[@reesekosinski124]

I know they’re really popular, but as someone who likes true crime, watching certain “makeup and true crime” videos is so unsettling. People can claim to take the cases seriously as much as they want but when you’re compressing all the victims of a serial killer into a 15 minute video while not giving justice to the details of the case and joking about your makeup or whatever it comes off as so disrespectful

[@jaman_jy]

i've seen tattoos of ted bundy's bite mark, the black dahlia's mutilated body and the columbine shooters suicide crime scene. some people are beyond disrespectful. there's also the fact that you can regularly scroll down a true crime video and see people whine about "SpOiLeRs" like we aren't talking about real life murders and kidnappings.... get a grip, ted.

[@SouthernGatorMan]

Jfc I've seen ppl get tattoos of the Columbine security cam image BUT THE SUICIDE IMAGE??????

[@j8246]

I never saw the tattoos, but i know a girl who had the shirts 😭 ​@@SouthernGatorMan

[@MzJamaicanBeauty12]

I definitely see the point you’re making, the idea that other people’s trauma is to be consumed for entertainment is creepy and the fan girl/boy mentality surrounding true crime is weird.

[@supercookie798]

I really "enjoy" true crime content, mostly podcasts. But I only ever like the well-researched kind that illustrates psychological factors, shine a light on the justice system and show potential effects of a crime on society. As in, I feel like I learn something and don't just enjoy people's suffering. To me, understanding factors and influences behind some horrible things make me understand the world a little better even though it does not make me feel safer or more prepared (because literally nobody is safe, ever). Also in podcast where I am from people often change the names of both the victim and the criminal to take pressure off families and not give murderers attention. And I think that is a lot more healthy than the typical US way of "Hey let's give this guy a nickname and plaster his face everywhere". Still, I don't understand how people could ever idolize people like Bundy. That is just not it.

[@abbysc417]

Yeah I agree, I think that’s why the true crime I listen to is more focused on cults or fundamentalist groups rather than murders. It has a more societal/systemic focus.

[@Mina-qe3rc]

We all need therapy together for lots of different shit thrown at us...

[@narrastalgia4718]

I feel like a lot of true crime gets fictionalized in people's minds, especially the unsolved ones. Our brains are a bit too hardwired to seek out narratives in everything, that if the correct action isn't taken to properly humanize the victims, they can feel like they only exist on paper. Recently with the Gabby Patito case, I saw people claiming they "sensed bad energy around her" and guessed that she'd actually murdered someone or something equally as awful. When she was very clearly a victim to anyone who isn't obsessed with creating the most entertaining narrative around the situation.

[@mmiodaviss]

The way I clicked on this so fast lmao

[@handarule]

I've seen a lot of Twitter Discourse™ critical of True Crime pointing out that it's making listeners paranoid and tbh initially I really brushed that aside and thought it was silly. Then I met one of my friends who is already anxious and neurotic, plus now (maybe because of anxiety?) consumes a TON of true crime and has gone fully paranoid. She's afraid to go out if it's dark at all, afraid to take Ubers, etc. She takes insane precautions in her apartment (she doesn't live alone), like hiding weapons all over and spending a ton on cameras...she's in a super safe area too. So my opinion has changed. I think women especially have a very healthy fear of certain forms of violence, but that is exploited by content creators playing into those and creating an environment of deeply unhealthy anxiety-mongering. You're not going to be murdered by a serial killer. A stranger is not going to break into your house and attack you. Don't put yourself in danger, but don't put yourself in a state of deep paranoia because of some dumb half-truthed infotainment crap either!

[@andrea205]

I had to stop watching true crime content bc it made me very afraid and paranoid 😅😅 it fuels my imagination in not a good way😵‍💫

[@waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa9739]

And with the child murder cases where you can see tons of comments saying how they'll never let their child go anywhere alone from now on, constantly monitor them and control them just so they'll never have that measly chance of crossing paths with a killer. This is how you get shaky relationships with your kids, who won't trust you and will actually try to hide things from you that might actually be insightful. That's how I ended up having to deal with a stalker on my own at age 14, because my mother was so paranoid from watching so much true crime on TV that if I told her I'd have the remnants of my freedom taken away rather than have a healthy conversation on how to deal with more typically asocial people.

[@august1752]

I was becoming very paranoid from consuming true crime content and now I have to limit the amount that I watch, I definitely think some true crime creators fuel this with statements like "this just shows that it could happen to anyone" or "even in safe areas theres still a chance you could be in danger"

[@manicpepsicola3431]

@@waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa9739 that's so messed up too because by her being paranoid she put you in more danger than if she was able to be open and actually help protect you from that particular person she honestly made the situation even more dangerous smh

[@scottpilgrimpwns]

My mom likes to listen to that kind of stuff and I dont spend much time in the living room when its on but I'll admit as a generally easily paranoid and panicked person, its not easy to listen over to that kind of thing for my brain. Makes me feel all weird and gross and panicked, worried something like that could happen to me.

[@mollyross888]

mom can you pick me up they’re genuinely making fancams of serial killers and i’m scared

[@theonlyvampirateable]

I live in the same town where Randy Stair shot up our grocery store killing 3 people and himself, one of them being one my oldest friends. I used to be one of the true crime fan girls. When that happened I saw some fan pages on Facebook for him, and I felt disgusted. It completely changed my perspective on everything.

[@sassafrasfruit]

I used to watch true crime youtubers a lot, but much like you I grew out of it. One of the things that always made me really critical of them is when they're telling the 'story' of a crime, and start describing how the victim was feeling (like "She turned around in fear, knowing her life was about to end" or something) as if it's a fictional story, since they would have absolutely no way to know how a victim felt so they're just fabricating it to jazz up the tension in their 'story'. It strikes me as so disrespectful, and almost every true crime youtuber I've seen has done it.

[@cjb2749]

The only true crime KZbinrs that I've seen do that are stephanie harlow and Bailey sarian. I'm pretty selective when it comes to true crime content though, so there are a lot of channels that I haven't watched more than once

[@olivierblais-turcotte2841]

Idea for a podcast : instead of people telling the story of a crime they randomly found online, it would be a serie of interviews of victims. Not asking them what happened, but more on what changed because of it, how do they feel about it, what they wish people knew about them instead of being the victim of an atrocious crime, ... The goal wouldn't be to make people cry while listening to it, but asking the more question like "why, in our current justice system and media sphere, aren't we putting the victim first? why do we focus so much on the perpetrator? what should be done about it?"

[@JaclynJenson]

THIS!!!!!

[@Beanandturnip]

I commented this already but I really want to put it out there! She doesn’t directly interview the victims but Celisia Stanton’s podcast Truer Crime is very victim focused and definitely tackles those exact questions!

[@CosmiColor]

I think you'd really enjoy This is Actually Happening! Its basically just stories told by the people who lived them. There's no other narration other than that person just speaking their truth and explaining how an event or circumstance changed their life and outlook on things!

[@delormerr]

"Criminal" does this -- the host is there to guide the interview :) Will admit it can be a tear jerker though lol.

[@tamarleahh.2150]

Agreed!

[@prochey69]

Tori Stafford's case is really vivid to me as well tbh. She went missing right near me, I remember being out for a walk and seeing people hanging up her missing posters. My family was also glued to the news, her death really stuck with all of us and always will.

[@adelecrowe7473]

writing true crime fanfiction isn’t easy, but grammarly can help

[@chocomelo454]

Install now and we'll correct each time you write down a killer or victims name and replace it!

[@notoriouskib]

Ok so I was talking to a friend about this the other day! I don’t like the makeup/true crime merge because I find it to be trivializing the crime; like I shouldn’t be talking/hearing about brutal murders in the same way I’d be telling my friend about my day or about somebody I’m dating. Like, I’m interested in both makeup and true crime, but not in the same vein.

[@michelaprovagna333]

i've always had an interest in true crime, but the moment i realized it wasn't all "to help the victim's and their families" was when i gave my favorite murder a chance. in like the first 10 minutes they were fucking cackling about some guy being brutally murdered and i couldn't listen/watch anything related for the longest time

[@michelaprovagna333]

also not enough true crime creators hate cops

[@brideshead]

@@michelaprovagna333 i totally agree abt the cop thing! i remember watching a very popular true crime youtuber that everyone praised as 'respectful' and within 20 minutes she said "they refused to let the police in without a warrant which is instantly suspicious because if you have nothing to hide you'd let them look." abt a case set in a predominantly black neighbourhood. i think if you're constantly researching true crime you HAVE to realise that the us justice system is corrupt and racist, and if you don't ur just wilfully ignorant.

[@ainsopholli439]

@@brideshead if you don’t mind answering, who said that? i’d like to know so i can stop supporting them if i’m supporting them

[@brideshead]

@@ainsopholli439 it was eleanor neale. if you want to check for yourself (which is totally fine! you should always factcheck) it's in her ciara grimes video exactly 18 minutes in. i'm sure she didn't mean any harm at all by it but that general mindset is just... iffy to me in true crime.

[@alwaystired1]

@@michelaprovagna333 Yo facts, there's actually so much bootlicking in TC content. Even in JCS videos I don't think he really gets across how insanely manipulative cops can be. Just remember, the way cops trap/force/coerce confessions out of murderers, they do that shit to innocent people too, and frequently.

[@emanwhyy]

i listen to Heist Podcast on Spotify, their tagline is literally “the true crime podcast without any of the murder” bc the two hosts, matt and simon, are v uncomfortable talking about deaths and want to treat those events respectfully. It’s a p lighthearted podcast that goes into the process of people doing a heist, the whys and hows, and the victims are usually just rich ppl so like wtv lol but i definitely recommend if anyone’s into heists or is uncomfortable w murder bc same!!

[@syd6964]

There was a true crime account i watched 2 videos of out of curiosity and and she literally said the kidnappers zodiac sign and went "haha doesnt that make sense lol" i was so shocked

[@sarah-uh2gr]

was that hailey elizabeth? i watched some of her vids and she said that too, as if zodiac signs are relevant

[@syd6964]

@@sarah-uh2gr yes! The first video of hers i watched wasnt necessarily true crime but she still mentioned everyones zodiac and i was still kind of weirded out. And then i watched her vid on the amazon guy and one of the first thing she mentioned was the kidnapper's zodiac. Which feels so disrespectful

[@sarah-uh2gr]

@@syd6964 ahh okay i saw some comments that were like “i love how you include zodiac signs” but i am so glad that someone agrees that it’s pretty disrespectful

[@1337-i3v]

That IS weird to mention. Like no, most likely his zodiac sign is irrelevant can we please focus on the case and the FACTS around it. Keep your psuedo science out of it...

[@fruityblue9784]

I recently told a few people that I was a fan of “crime videos” and “murder documentaries” and I realized how I could have been perceived for saying it with no context. Like you said about your experience, i also use it as a (maybe flawed) coping mechanism for my fear of someone hurting me or kidnapping me. I don’t want anyone to think I actually enjoy hearing about serial killers on the run, hurting people. I just like to hear the stories of people and how others rally around them, and hopefully have their attacker(s) brought to justice. You make a lot of very good points!

[@minmeena]

I started consuming true crime bc of morbid curiosity and to be more aware of the world around me but these days I feel like if I keep consuming it I'll be desensitized to it and its given me a lot of nightmares and paranoia/anxiety

[@kayk480]

I’ve been watching true crime shows since I was pretty young, and I’ve noticed the content has changed a lot. In the 90s, the focus seemed to be more on the forensics and how they solved the crimes (especially because DNA was just being introduced) or on bringing awareness to unsolved cases (often with tip line numbers at the end of episodes). Nowadays, it seems like KZbin creators just want to give a shock factor to all the stories so they get more viewers. Even the titles use a lot of buzzwords like “the BIZARRE case of so and so” or “the GRUESOME murder” and often have a thumbnail of the creator with a shocked face. It just doesn’t sit well with me.

[@aperson2140]

TW: CA Growing up in an abusive household I always felt a separation between me and other people. Like we lived in different worlds. Seeing someone just watching other people’s trauma and treating it like a fun story with characters and not real people only makes me realize how different I am. I would hate to see my own trauma told the way any of these true crime creators tell stories.

[@hannahhannah1234]

what does ca stand for

[@bctc1085]

@@hannahhannah1234 Child abuse

[@tishaprnucedteasha]

@@hannahhannah1234 i wanna know too

[@pianogal879]

I was never a true crime buff until my 30s probably. I listen to podcasts especially. All that I listen to are extremely respectful of the victims and make them more "real" and allow listeners to realize they are human beings. They never hype the killers themselves. I think when we glamorize the murder/murderer....then the line has been crossed.

[@catherinegonzales9544]

I used to listen to my favorite murder but lately I can’t get over how unapologetically under researched they are, and how they have to make corrections every episode

[@cocogoat1111]

Something really disgusting in the way they call it true crime "community" or "fandom" as if it's a television show or movie for their entertainment. As if these aren't real victims and families tragedies and they get some sick enjoyment and entertainment about pushing their own theory, evidence and logic be damned. I watch a lot of documentaries on these subjects and it disturbs me how the content will be about someone who was brutally murdered and their family is trying to find justice while the comments on the video are "just made myself some hot chocolate and prepared to get cozy ^_^" as if they don't even view it as real.

[@kinesin8221]

there it is, the one good youtube comment

[@booktales1687]

That’s what’s been bothering me so badly. Horrific murders are treated like a new episode of the week, leading to people becoming so sensitized to the subject matter. It’s horrifying

[@ktanay1204]

I personally know two people who’s family member was horrifically murdered by a serial killer, so I can imagine how a victim’s family reacts to people watching or listening to this stuff for entertainment because I’ve seen it. My personal belief is that if the content isn’t helping in some way, it’s just gratuitous and unnecessary. Spread awareness of missing people and justice reform, share the warning signs of domestic abuse and where/how to seek help, but we don’t need to keep traumatizing these families by glorifying the source of their pain.

[@skootzkadoodles]

Yes, so many of these podcasts don't explore the systems that let shit like this happen. Like how so many killers get away because their victims are vulnerable people like the homeless, or people who have slipped through the cracks and won't be noticed.

[@ha-kf3rd]

@@skootzkadoodles do you happen to know great podcasts that don’t do that? i’ve been struggling to find one recently.

[@cjmmoseley]

i am officially a certified true crime community hater after the gabby petito tiktok insanity and this bs

[@cjmmoseley]

@@caseyaonso4270 yea i was personally a little surprised it wasnt brought up bc ig i kinda assumed by the video title it was gonna be mentioned, but then i looked at the thumbnail. good judgement though, and itd probably be too early to talk about a case that's still in the early processes. great video, though, and as someone who listens to true crime podcasts/watches youtubers like stephanie harlow, ill be more careful about whose content i watch

[@kimberlym.6331]

I agree, some people are taking it entirely too far. Victim blaming, dismissiveness, treating it like a joke. Gross.

[@lilac1041]

I enjoy true crime content, but when creators aren't actually respectful to the victims, I don't enjoy it. One of the reasons I enjoy certain creators so much is because the content is actually a caring and thoughtful consideration of the life and experiences of those involved. For instance, Truer Crime is my favorite podcast because not only does it focus on the shortcomings of the justice system, but also is incredibly respectful to the victims.

[@entranSingie]

Oh we been knew. It's horrible that some people in the true crime community are more into romanticizing the serial killers or the cases and not give the care and respect these cases deserve

[@shanicek5188]

It's really gross TBH. Like these are real people and actual tragedies, how do people think its cute to romanticise literal murderers💀

[@binah7744]

I like hearing art theft stories and heists because they tend to be a lot less gory but those stories tend to get mixed with true crime. Idk listening to it makes me uncomfortable. I mean stealing art isn’t great, but it’s rare that someone is seriously hurt as a result

[@EveleaSolgos]

THANK YOU for talking about this!!! it's a deeply unsettling trend that became way too acceptable

[@tatt_cat]

The grwm true crime videos seriously creep me out. I've been watching and listening tc for years and i understand why people consume content like that. But especially lately i have been reeally thinking twice about who and what i want to support, and how to be an active listener. Not active in a tiktok psychic kinda way tho

[@Mrs.Self.Distruct]

There is an interesting thing in human nature for many to be drawn to all forms of this topic, whether it be from centuries ago when public hangings were basically an event people would gather at as if it were a fun fair and celebrate... to now where true crime is so highly covered and shown that one can easily imagine it being yourself or a loved one who faces the worst situations and it scares and captivates. To me personally, the gross part is misinformation on not only YT, but TV networks such as with Columbine as that was the first massively horrific thing that happened when I was a teen and gripped me. It's sick how there is a fandom for the shooters still to this day and that inspired others no less and that to me is the problem with some coverage but overall I feel true crime coverage helps people be more aware of the danger that they could encounter and how to help themselves if found in it.

[@Grooovyghosty]

It’s like with the Night stalker case, women were in the court room IN FAVOR OF THAT GUY and were sending fan mail to him. Watching that made me feel so weird and confused and angry.

[@LivTheSlayer]

The true crime community be like: omg I love baking cookies while I listen to a true story about someone being brutally murdered

[@ashleybz]

feeling so attacked rn liv

[@aquariussolaris2492]

Me listening to casefile while i clean the house

[@2210jordanclayton]

@@aquariussolaris2492 I also listen to true crime while cleaning the house 😬

[@anoni6108]

it's so messed up, that's what people went, that's what happend to actual humans, someones child, parent, sibling, friend and it's not just a fun "story" to put on in the background

[@ashleybz]

@@anoni6108 for sure, it’s one thing to listen to it while completing household tasks and stuff but you absolutely need to acknowledge that it’s TRUE crime. this stuff actually happens and victim’s families grieve about that kind of thing for years. i don’t really understand how anyone could find it genuinely entertaining… it’s heartbreaking

[@AveryTalksAboutStuff]

I recommend Kendal Rae's video about being an active and responsible true crime viewer. She interviews the family members of victims who are advocates about what they see as respectful and helpful and what they see as not from the viewers.

[@TwelvetreeZ]

There's a British show coming to Channel 4 where members of the public try to solve a pretend murder. After the recent murder of Sabina Nessa, it feels especially gross. My problem is when true crime enthusiasts let their hero complex get the better of them - yes, you're up to date with My Favourite Murder, but that doesn't mean you can solve one 👀

[@ghostlygena]

It’s not just on the internet too, two recent netflix “documentaries” led to people getting harassed over things that they A.) werent even a part of or B.) are likely innocent based on all the evidence. it’s gross because they so easily could’ve added in all the information but chose not to.

[@lilliansmith1231]

like im genuinely worried for people, especially young girls, who idolize literal murderers like babe get some help pls you need it

[@not_zippy]

It’s like a combination of the “I’m not like other girls” mentality, and also romanticization of problematic men by society. Like the “I can fix him” thing plays a huge part in it. These young girls are at a point in their lives where they feel othered and isolated, and are probably being bullied too, so this idolization of serial killers comes from their desire to relate to someone who is also “othered” (because they fucking murder people).

[@rottingfruit9410]

It’s so hard to find true crime channels that are respectful and do thorough research. I’m a psychology student so I watch bc the psychological aspect interests me. I think it’s important to understand why people do these things and what preventative steps could have been made.

[@livcaitbff]

I can’t stop thinking about this post I saw that said (paraphrased) imagine you get murdered and 5 years later, some youtuber dramatically tells the story of your tragic demise while putting on sparkly eyeshadow

[@rxxrcousin]

When I first got interested in the True Crime Community I watched more lighthearted creators. After awhile it didn't sit right with me so I find myself more geared towards the creators who take it seriously and respect the families involved such as Stephanie Harlowe and Kendall Rae.

[@pianolover8910]

Criminology masters student here! True crime is so weird to me because most of the time it’s referring to crimes that are the rarest crimes that effect the least amount of people. I wish that there was the same interest in things that are more rampant like green crime or white collar crime

[@robinmiller7142]

I used to watch a lot of true crime content but now I really only watch Kendall Rae, Danielle Hallan, and Georgia Marie. In my opinion all three of these creators show respect towards the people they discuss, they often work directly with the families, and they also share go fund me and other resources to help the people involve. They also don’t mix these stories with makeup and other genres. I had no idea there was even True Crime AMSR until you said it in this video. I loved your point that shows such as Dateline and 20/20 have executives that approve and monitor the stories, unlike KZbin.

[@marianarocha2210]

You're right! Georgia Marie deserves more recognition by the way

[@robinmiller7142]

@@marianarocha2210 definitely! I’m so surprised she doesn’t have more followers. I love her history series that she also does. She truly educates people on her channel. Hope you have a great night!

[@marianarocha2210]

@@robinmiller7142 I love her history series! That's how I feel about her chanel as well, that she educates people and takes her job seriously. Hope you have a great night too 😘

[@ashleybz]

i was JUST in the middle of a true crime podcast …. weirdly perfect timing casey!

[@taylorwedding1556]

I think a big contributing factor to the flux of people moving to monetize true crime comes in how easy of content it is to make. Anyone with a microphone and an internet connection can “research” and talk about these cases in any way they want, with minimal accountability, and profit from it. You don’t really need a good personality or thoughtful commentary, because a lot of the cases are interesting enough on their own without addition, and it makes it an easy niche to succeed in without any real effort. All you need to do is report the facts on a case and boom, a huge audience already exists who enjoys that specific content. They don’t have to necessarily enjoy you. There are plenty of creators out there that do it justice; they integrate great discussion around topics and approach their subjects with respect and education, but I definitely think your point about “creator-based” content holds a lot of truth.

[@heartofstars13]

Yaaay, new Casey video!! Just want you to know I’m a massive fan of how well you research your videos, and I find your voice and energy so calming. Can’t wait to dive into this vid! Much love ☺️💙

[@maddied5825]

It’s so weird when someone stops talking about a tragic event to start talking about a vpn or headphones idk it feels very insensitive. “And today’s murder is sponsored by……” Idk it just makes me feel icky

[@annesophie22]

i've been seeing a lot of content recently on tiktok relating to the gabby petito case. while some of it wants to genuinely raise awareness, most of it is peddling ridiculous theories, spreading misinformation and just overall being very incentive of what the family and friends of gabby are going through right now. it can always be cruel to speculate on cases, but especially with one that is so fresh, it's disrespectful and actually dangerous.

[@oscarwildess279]

I think a lot of true crime podcasts especially comedy podcasts should be looked at too. The fact a show called my favorite murder was like the #1 show in the world is …interesting to say the least. A lot of these podcasts don’t do their proper research and have routinely been called out by victims families

[@stalecornchips9968]

An amazing true crime KZbinr is Kendall Rae, I HIGHLY suggest her videos because she encourages active true crime watching and gives missing people the coverage they need. She works with the families of the victims to spread their story and she is just amazing

[@mfitzburger5137]

No.

[@yarainpixels]

that one time i saw a fc of the night stalker… i knew we hit rock bottom

[@Grounded_Gravity]

This video prompted me to search for the name of my high school friend who was murdered weeks after we graduated. I was disturbed to see video after video covering her murder because this is, like, real person, real life stuff. So much went into the search for her after she disappeared, and so many people grieved for this person we all really loved who died far too young. I have to admit, I'm personally a bit disturbed at this tragedy being fodder for entertainment content. I don't look down on true crime and I imagine it's probably a similar draw as horror - exploring what most disturbs us in order to cope with it. I just hope people are covering this ethically. A friend from our high school circle just told me that one of the videos interviewed the victim's family and gave exposure to a law the family has been lobbying for (which has successfully passed in many states) which allows cell data to be used to help locate missing people. This seems to be the way to cover true crime ethically. Consent and a focus on the victim and their family. I just hope a lot of content creators are going this route.

[@thispersonreallylikesfrogs1739]

"imagine richard ramirez running on the beach into the sunset with you after he gets released from prison🥺🥺🥺" yeah so he avoids the dentist and doctor for having disgusting hygiene and rancid breath

[@admiralunclealbert]

I’m so with you on this Casey!!!!!!!!! I grew up watching shows like Snapped and especially once we got the ID Network, it was something I watched a bunch in high school. Shit scared me and gave me anxiety that I didn’t need so by the time I got to college, I was done with that stuff. Then, true crime was everywheeeere on the internet and I’ve always wondered why!! I think all your points are crucial. The explosion of the genre has lead to very distasteful and disrespectful depictions of people’s personal trauma. One should always be weary of certain kinds of viral content that may desensitize us to the experiences of others. I do think some good has come of this explosion, as you’ve said. I think the Unsolved Mysteries part of the genre can be super productive! So I do appreciate creators/shows who are mindful and empathetic in their content. Wonderful video essay Casey A+++ thanks for sharing!!