Typically magnified by the media and buoyed by opportunistic politicians, the so called threat, often centred on marginalised people, is exaggerated and outlined in simplistic terms for the public at large.
The media continue to fan the flames of the panic, with frequently little relation to the real situation, setting the narrative for how it is perceived.
The result is new laws or policies, often restrictive, leading to increased control of the public in general.
Or sometimes the public at large gets bored with the non-existent threat forcing the media to find another topic to hopefully grab attention and help sell cars and shampoo.
