In the last decade, true crime has gone from a niche fascination to a cultural sensation. From gripping Netflix documentaries to chart topping podcasts to TikTok deep dives, our collective appetite for tales of murder, deception and justice is insatiable. But as the genre continues to push boundaries, we must ask ourselves: has true crime gone too far?

At its best, true crime sheds light on injustice and amplifies the voices of victims. Documentaries like Making a Murderer and podcasts like Serial have prompted real-life legal reviews and sparked important debates about systemic issues in policing and the justice system.

But not all true crime content has that effect. For every thoughtful investigation comes a sensationalised retelling, often prioritising graphic reenactments over insightful storytelling, reducing victims and their families to mere plot devices. Take Ryan Murphy’s most recent true crime drama for example: Monsters, the Erik and Lyle Menendez Story tells the story of how two sons murder their parents after facing years of alleged abuse. Instead of prompting insightful online discussions about the justice system, the drama series divided the internet. The marketing for the show focused on the question of whether their brothers killed their parents for money or for self-defense, prompting mass speculation online and causing further harm to the extended Menendez family who have already experienced so much trauma.

It’s not just the mainstream streaming services jumping on the true crime train, TikTok has seen a rise in true crime content over the last few years with users posting “get ready with me” videos whilst reading out gory and gruesome case details whilst applying their makeup. From amateur investigations to baseless accusations that can interfere with active cases and ruin lives. A prime example of TikTok detectives doing harm to real life cases is during the investigation into the Idaho Murders in November 2022, users were throwing around speculative theories without any evidence to back them up, even going as far as to falsely accuse Jack Showalter, AKA “hoodie guy”, leading to his family facing harassment and even threats from anonymous strangers online. One TikToker, Olivia, even flew six hours to Idaho to film the scene, with one of her videos racking up 20 million views.

Closer to home, the Nicola Bulley case caused a frenzy online, with the hashtag of her name reaching 270 million views within the first three weeks of her disappearance. Many TikTokers flocked to the scene of Bulley’s disappearance to film content, which unsurprisingly interfered with the case and lead to the police issuing a dispersal order, allowing officers to remove people from the area.

The question shouldn’t be if true crime has gone too far, instead we should be asking where do we go from here? The true crime creators and consumers must hold themselves to a higher standard. Storytellers have a responsibility to consider the victims and approach their narratives with care and respect. In turn, audiences need to engage critically, consider the ethics of the content they are consuming and resist the urge to treat tragedy as entertainment.

True crime as a genre doesn’t have to be as exploitative as it has become. It has proven that it can educate and inspire change in the system. But first we need to be willing to confront the moral implications of our fascination with the dark side of humanity.

Has true crime gone too far?