Media Ethical Issues Analysis - Essay Example

?Media Ethical Issues: Case Study Introduction Two main approaches to the study of ethics are teology and deontology. Deontological ethics is based on a system that is driven by rules. The moral status in this system is contingent on compliance with rules. Teology, on the other hand, bases morality on the consequences of a course of action. This is why teology is also referred to as consequentialism (london-oratory.org, n.d.). While the two approaches differ in a number of ways, the most significant difference between them is teology studies consequences whereas deontology explores rules to justify or criticize an action (Frazier, 2013). This paper explores the ethical issues involved in the case study and highlights arguments for and against the parents’ request to the photographer’s wife to stop circulating the photograph of their deceased child in light of the teological and the deontological theory of ethics. Ethical Issues Involved In light of the teological theory of ethics Positive outcome Circulation of the photograph is creating awareness in the public regarding the negative ways in which the chemical industry is affecting the health and safety of children. As a result of this increased awareness, chemical industries face increased pressure both from the government agencies and the society at large to change its practices for the better so that they are environment friendly and not a threat to the health of the children. Therefore, the photographer’s wife should continue the circulation of the photograph. The farther it reaches, the more beneficial it gets. Negative outcome Circulation of the photograph might be a cause of pain and suffering for the parents as it reminds them of their dead daughter. Therefore, it is unethical for the photographer’s wife to continue circulating the photograph. In light of the deontological theory of ethics Right of ownership Parents of the child are trying to exercise a right over the photograph that they had lost while signing the release of the photograph. In this way, they are interfering which the photographer’s wife’s rights to release the photograph. Therefore, it would not be unethical for the photographer’s wife if she does not grant the parents’ wish. Geographical limitations Although the girl was affected by mercury pollution created by the chemical industry in Japan, yet the chemical industries of the whole world are suffering as a result of use of the photograph as an iconic image against the pollution created by the wrongful advancements of the chemical industries. Many chemical industries may be subject to criticism and scrutiny and undue investigation and accountability unnecessarily when they did not play a role in the child’s disease or death. This imparts the need for the photographer’s wife to ensure that the photograph is used for specific purposes only to indicate the effects of chemical pollution in Japan rather than letting the photograph go viral. However, since she has already failed in that and the geographical limitations have not been respected in this case, it is unethical for her not to control the circulation of the photograph since she is the one who holds copyright of the photograph. Arguments for the parents request Change of circumstances with time Argument supporting the parents’ request is that circumstances have changed since the time the photograph was taken. When the parents had signed the release of the photograph, the child was alive. They might have thought that release of the photograph would create awareness among the public about the adverse impact of the chemical industry’s environment unfriendly practices on the health and safety of children. However, since the child is now dead, it might be a very painful experience for the parents to be constantly reminded about their child, her death, or the cause of her death whenever they come across the photograph. Religious concerns of the parents Another argument in favor of the parents’ request is that they might have religious reasons for raising this request before the photographer’s wife. For example, Islam encourages its followers to avoid photography unless it is necessary e.g. for documentation or identification etc. Although the parents did give their consent about the release of the photograph before, yet they might have become more serious and critical in their practices and approaches in light of their religious teachings over the passage of time. Ethically, the photographer’s wife must consider granting their wish even if the parents have such a reason for raising the request. Parents as natural owners of child’s belongings Another argument supporting the parents’ request is that the request is coming from them. Parents brought that child into the world and by all means, should be considered the fundamental owner of the photograph of their child especially after the child has died. Especially, when the case has to be analyzed with respect to ethical issues rather than legal issues, parents still retain ownership of their child and everything that contains their child in any form, even if that is a photograph in spite of the fact that they had signed the release of the photograph before. The photographer’s wife may raise objection to their request on legal grounds, but she fails in her attempt on ethical grounds. Arguments against the parents’ request Parents sign on release of photograph Argument against the parents’ request is that they had consented on the release of the photograph by signing the release at the time the photograph was taken. Once they had signed the release, they lost the ownership rights over the photograph. Even if the case has to be strictly analyzed through an ethical lens, the ownership of the photograph now rests with the photographer’s wife rather than the parents. Awareness created by photograph Another argument against the parents’ request is that the photograph might have helped and might continue to help raise awareness about the adverse impacts of the unhealthy practices of the chemical industry on the health of children. This awareness might have caused in the past or might cause in the future also the chemical industry to change its practices for the better throughout the world wherever the photograph circulates. On one hand, the stakeholders are just the two parents; on the other hand, the stakeholders are all those children who are affected by the chemicals released by the chemical industries as well as all those people that are related to those children. The latter simply and obviously outweighs the former. In light of the teological theory of ethics, “an ultimate standard [is] that freedom approaches more nearly than regimentation or which the greatest good for the greatest number approaches more nearly than the greatest good for a privileged few” (Reat and Perry, 1991, p. 10). The photographer’s wife needs to gauge the benefits of keeping the photograph circulated against the benefits of addressing the parents’ request. Conclusion The teological theory of ethics considers it more important to continue raising awareness with the use of the photograph because the ultimate stakeholders is generally the whole society not just in the country in which the photographer’s wife and the parents of the dead child live but also everywhere in the world where the photograph circulates than entertaining the request of the parents alone. The deontological theory of ethics highlights the concern to grant the wish of the parents rather than continue circulating the photograph because irrespective of any kind of deal they might have made in the past, parents happen to be the natural owners of everything related to their child. Since the case is to be entirely analyzed from the ethical lens without the use of legal lens, the decision rests with the photographer’s wife. References: Frazier, L 2013, What Is the Difference Between Teleological & Deontological Ethics? [Online] Available at http://www.ehow.com/info_8286914_difference-between-teleological-deontological-ethics.html [accessed: 8 March 2013]. london-oratory.org n.d., Teological/consequentialist, [Online] Available at http://www.london-oratory.org/philosophy/philosophies/ETHICS/normative/teleological/body_teleological.html [accessed: 8 March 2013]. Reat, NR, and Perry, EF 1991, A World Theology: The Central Spiritual Reality of Humankind, USA: Cambridge University Press. Read More