Social Media Controversy: The Ethics Of Photojournalism

Ethics of Photojournalism

What are the standards of ethics in the publication of photos? There is a set of rules that many try to follow. Those rules are sometimes a written set of rules or unwritten that people are expected to standby. You would never want to humiliate or ridicule someone in a major event that is tragic. Photojournalism is used to expose a subject or bring awareness to a cause. Over time social media has contributed to giving photojournalists an extra pair of eyes of capturing an important moment. Entering the field of photojournalism most would like to consider that the publication is presented to be truthful and a steadfast representation of the specific pictures that are exposed to the public. One of the biggest rule aspects is the ethical question of not the act of taking the photo but if it should be published when you feel it may not be ethically correct. Conflict and controversy rise when an image can say a thousand words, but the trick is finding the right one. These images will shape our culture in a significant way. Past, present, and future

Research shows that the public’s appetite for news and information is greater than ever before. And the public’s love for, fascination with, and connection to photography is also at an all-time high, thanks to digital photography, photo-sharing, and other technological innovations” (Baradell 51). The hope for continuance of the public wanting information about current events will be known over time. The evolution of technology will be the one to make that call. Digital photography will only improve and photo sharing will become a major way to stay connected. The challenge will ultimately be for photojournalist to present images that the audience or public will continue to appreciate and honor (52). “Photojournalists can only hope to achieve this by maintaining, and enforcing, ethical standards that clearly elevate the above their audiences (Baradell