> Doesn't this go against the ethics of reporting such extreme events, which empower people with mental health issues to "copy cat" in order to seek attention and gain social status?[0]
These ethics are completely disregarded by the media when reporting on e.g. school shootings. They do not factor in whatsoever.
Well, we don't know to what extent they factor it in. It would be interesting to see how it evolved throughout the years - but that's beyond the point:
The ethics and the effects of it are there, and to have a murderer set the public agenda doesn't make much sense.
These ethics are completely disregarded by the media when reporting on e.g. school shootings. They do not factor in whatsoever.