The Role of Mass Media in the Dynamics of Law Enforcement in the Information Age

Abstract

The information age has brought significant changes to the relationship between the mass media and the law enforcement system. The media no longer merely serves as a channel for disseminating news but has evolved into a social actor capable of shaping public opinion, pressuring legal institutions, and influencing the course of judicial proceedings. This article aims to comprehensively examine the role of the mass media in the dynamics of law enforcement in the digital age, by analysing the positive and negative impacts of media involvement in legal processes. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach through literature review and content analysis of several high-profile legal cases that have received extensive coverage from online and print media. The results of the study show that the mass media has six main roles in this context, namely as i) a disseminator of legal information, ii) a tool for social control over the performance of legal institutions, iii) a shaper of public opinion, iv) a catalyst for public participation, a facilitator of advocacy processes, and as v) an actor with the potential to create public pressure through the phenomenon of trial by media. Therefore, the implications of this study emphasise the importance of strengthening journalistic ethics, regulating legal content in the media, and improving public legal literacy so that the mass media can truly become a constructive partner in supporting the rule of law in the global information era.