Gen Z and True Crime Consumption

True crime has always fascinated audiences—but TikTok, podcasts, and social media have fundamentally changed how we participate in it.

In this episode of #GenZ, Dr. Meghan Grace sits down with Dr. Simon Hobbs, Senior Lecturer in Visual Culture at the University of Portsmouth and co-editor of #True Crime: Digital Culture, Ethics and True Crime Audiences, to explore how Gen Z is reshaping true crime culture.

Simon explains how younger audiences have moved beyond simply watching or listening to true crime. They're discussing cases in real time, sharing theories, amplifying overlooked stories, questioning representation, and increasingly challenging the ethics behind the content they consume.

Meghan and Simon dig into why true crime has historically resonated so strongly with women, the complicated line between feeling informed and becoming fearful, and how overconsumption can influence our perception of safety. They also explore whose stories receive attention, whose are overlooked, and whether platforms like TikTok can actually create opportunities for more ethical and inclusive storytelling.

The conversation ultimately asks a bigger question: What responsibility do we have for the media we choose to consume?

Connect with Dr. Simon Hobbs on LinkedIn