A
moral panic is a feeling of fear spread among a large number of people that some evil threatens the well-being of society.
A Dictionary of Sociology defines a moral panic as "the process of arousing social concern over an issue - usually the work of
moral entrepreneurs and the mass media." The media are key players in the dissemination of moral indignation, even when they do not appear to be consciously engaged in crusading or
muckraking. Simply reporting the facts can be enough to generate concern, anxiety or panic.