overdrevent

Overdrevent is a term used in media studies and political communication to describe an event whose perceived importance is magnified by media attention and public discourse, often exceeding its objective significance.

Origin and usage: The coinage emerged in scholarship analyzing the attention economy of digital networks in the 2010s. It is used to discuss how coverage, timing, and discourse shape public evaluation.

Mechanisms: Key drivers include algorithmic amplification on social platforms, sensational framing by outlets, rapid repetition, and confirmation bias; early reporting tends to determine later coverage, creating a self-reinforcing loop.

Implications: Overdrevent can lead to policy overreactions, resource misallocation, or public fear; it can also divert attention from more significant risks.

Criticism: Some scholars caution that the concept risks labeling legitimate concerns as overhyped; measuring overdrevent is difficult; it also depends on chosen time frames and indicators.

Examples and related concepts: Proponents point to temporary health scares, cybersecurity alerts, or environmental warnings that become dominant news cycles; related ideas include moral panic, risk amplification, and attention economy.