Benefits and Challenges Associated with Visuals Available Today - Research Paper Example

Benefits and Challenges Associated with Visuals Available Today As a form of communication, the availability of so many visuals entails a lot of benefits and challenges. Today, a lot of photographs and other types of visual presentation is readily available through the use of social networking websites like Facebook and other online media such as Google Images or Flickr. By viewing these Internet accessible photos, people are able to learn more about different places or something about the personal life of other people.

Using these photos, people can easily look back on what happened in the past. Within this context, it makes sense that the presence of these visuals help us preserve the history of human life (NPPA, 2012). Implementing the code of ethics pertaining to the use of publicly available photos is necessary to protect the right of the owners and strengthen the public confidence in certain professions like photo journalists and photographers (NPPA, 2012). Therefore, people should stricly acknowledge the need to respect and abide with the code of ethics.

In respect of the copyright laws, the general public should keep in mind to ask permission from the owner of the photos before using these online available photos or taking photos of another person (Lynch, 2008, p. 155). Doing so will protect journalists from preventable court cases. On the other hand, part of the duty and responsibility of the visual journalists is to document what is going on around our surroundings. Through the use of photos, visual journalists are able to express what they mean in their writings.

As part of the National Press Photographers Association (2012) Code of Ethics, visual journalists are required to present to the public an accurate and non-bias information with regards to the subject matter they are discussing. It means that it is unethical on the part of the visual journalists to practice racism or talking negatively on something or about a person especially when there is no valid and concrete evidences to back up their statements. To avoid being charged of libel cases (Cates, 2004, p. 130), visual journalists should make it a habit to avoid making false claims that can harm a society or another person.

There are many ways that will prevent visual journalists from legal accusations. In line with this, visual journalists should make it a standard operating procedure to treat a society, a community, or a person with respect and dignity (NPPA, 2012). For instance, visual journalists should not take advantage of vulnerable subjects like the rape victims or people with HIV infection. In case there is a need to make a report on vulnerable subjects, the visual journalists should personally seek permission from the subjects before making an actual documentation.

By doing so, visual journalists can avoid unconsciously hurting the feelings of a person or group of people or even violating their human rights and privacy. ReferencesCates, J. (2004). Journalism: A Guide to the Reference Literature. 3rd Edition. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.Lynch, L. (2008). Exploring Journalism and the Media. OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.National Press Photographers Association. (2012). Retrieved August 13, 2012, from NPPA Code of Ethics : http://nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/ethics.

htmlReferences