After a year of violence both at home and abroad, the French public is emotionally drained. With deteriorating confidence in their political system, their collectivist ideals present pro-social businesses with a unique opportunity to help dig them out of the tough times.

In the 24 hours following the attacks on Paris, 4.1 million people marked themselves ‘safe’ on Facebook. It prevailed as a practical tool for the masses; a way to alleviate worry and spur a collective sigh of relief. But is Safety Check simply a helpful feature or yet another way to perpetuate fear?

More firearms are sold in the US than any other country in the world;15 million were soldin 2013 alone. And in January 2016, GunTV – a 24/7 shopping channel dedicated entirely to guns – will begin airing across America alongside the tagline, ‘Live Shopping. Fully Loaded’.

A video shot surreptitiously on a smartphone documents an altercation between a bus driver and an irate young woman. Another offers a window into a high school cafeteria, where dozens of girls rip at each other’s hair, screaming like banshees. What is it that makes violence go viral?