The Kenneth Law media event: A dangerous natural experiment

In late April 2023, the international media broke the story of the arrest and criminal charges against Kenneth Law, a Canadian man accused of sending a deadly substance to a number of individuals across Canada and internationally (Miller, 2023; Peel Regional Police, 2023). This is a newsworthy story and one that deserves coverage. However, it also carries the potential for harm, as the substance Law allegedly distributed is unusual and previously unknown to most of the public. In this editorial, we will describe some of the ethical issues and considerations regarding responsible reporting of the Kenneth Law story and make recommendations about how such information might be conveyed more safely to the public going forward. At the outset, we acknowledge two important points.