By Christiana Corporon
The power of social media is undeniable. Platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are outlets for people of all ages to share the best version of themselves and connect with others. In the past few weeks, social media has turned into something bigger. It has served as a platform for true crime junkies to take their shot at cracking the case of 22-year-old Gabby Petito, a social media influencer who had been documenting her cross country #VanLife trip with her fiance. But where do we draw the line between legitimate investigative work and morbid curiosity?
When Petito was first reported missing on September 11, attention turned to her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, who was the last person to have seen her. Officials grew suspicious when Laundrie returned home without Petito. Petito’s remains have since been found and Laundrie has become the most wanted fugitive in America.
While Laundrie still hasn’t been found, social media has offered countless clues as to where he may be and helped lead officials to Petito’s remains as well. TikTok has especially been an influential platform in this case. One woman shared on TikTok how she unknowingly gave Laundrie a ride after spotting him hitchhiking in Grand Teton National Park. Another user posted footage in which Petito’s white van is visible after she was last seen alive. These tips were two of the most crucial leads in this case. Since the influencer’s tragic death, people have also taken to social media to spread awareness about domestic violence. Countless social media users have since come forward with their personal stories of domestic abuse and shed light on some possible warning signs in an attempt to stop such tragedies from happening again.
Social media has acted as somewhat of a positive outlet in light of such a tragic event, but at the same time, it has also proven to be extremely problematic. Far too many users have already begun sharing their thoughts on what the true-crime documentary of Petito’s case will look like in the future. This is not a true-crime documentary. This is someone’s daughter, sister, friend. Their grief is real. It’s not something to be glorified or sensationalized. Some users have also shared bizarre conspiracy theories about what happened and have even claimed to channel Petito’s spirit to garner more views. One user even claimed she did not feel that Laundrie is a killer, garnering major backlash from the public.
The coverage of Petito’s disappearance also brings attention to an often overlooked issue, missing white woman syndrome (MWWS). MWWS is used to describe the disparity between coverage of missing middle to high-class white women and women in minority groups. Chandra Levy, Natalee Holloway, and JonBenét Ramsey. These are names most of us recognize. Could you name at least three missing indigenous women from the last decade? Probably not. The media must do better in its coverage of minority groups. According to Wyoming’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force, over 700 Indigenous people have been reported missing in the same place Petito was found over the last ten years. Where was the coverage of these girls and women?
Gabby Petito and her family deserve justice and in part, social media has proved to be a catalyst in serving justice in this case. At the same time, the power of social media must not be taken lightly. This is not entertainment or a game. This is someone’s family, someone’s life. We must continue to use these tools to spread awareness for all missing people.
