The Effect of Internet News Exposure on Fear of Crime

Abstract

Using data from the 5th Questionnaire on Unease in Social Life (Survey on Unease toward Crime) conducted by the Nikkoso Research Foundation for Safe Society in 2014, this paper investigated the effect of internet news exposure on fear of crime. While previous studies have examined the effects of exposure to mass media such as newspapers, television, and radio on fear of crime, it is unclear whether exposure to online news affects fear of crime. With the rapid diffusion of smartphones and other mobile internet devices, the opportunity to read online news has increased. Therefore, it is important to empirically examine the impact of internet news exposure on fear of crime. Results of multiple regression analyses demonstrated that the frequency of internet news exposure had a positive effect on fear of crimes against both respondents and their family members. However, additional analyses by age group showed that the frequency of internet news exposure had a positive effect on fear of crime against respondents only in the 20-39 age group. On the other hand, the frequency of television news exposure had a positive effect on fear of crimes against both respondents and their family members only in the 40-59 age group. For seniors over 60 years old, newspaper, television, and internet news exposures had no significant effect on fear of crime against respondents.