How do you feel when you read about Mongolian model Altantuya Shaarriibuu being killed on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur? Or that Thammasat University students in Thailand mocked ousted premier Thaksin with an effigy of him with a forked tongue as Singapore’s Merlion? What about the latest juicy details of excesses as the NKF civil suit unfolded in court?
Why do we read the news at all? So that we have something to contribute at the water-cooler in the office, or perhaps there’s something interesting to upload on our blog to capture eyeballs?
What happened if the above three news event were recorded on real time with phone cam instead of presented as news articles to be read? Would it serve to satisfy our voyeuristic nature?
Now that most of us have mobile phones that can take video clips, and with facilities like YouTube around, many will be tempted to upload incidents which we think might interest others.
With broadband being made available all over Singapore, computing is progressing beyond the desktop to something we do on the move 24/7. It has become so ubiquitous that online is now merging with offline, with us having access to the net constantly. We can stay connected with portable, wireless, handheld gadget so that at any moment, we can create and disseminate news.
If you are a regular visitor to YouTude you might have come across the sexy, handsome professor from NTU bemoaning that students were suppose to give feedback about his teaching instead of declaring their love for him.
You might even sympathise with the Hong Kong Bus Uncle who had a metaphysical discussion on the proper behaviour of using handphone in the bus.
But where do we draw the line between human decency and playing part-time vigilante?
For some of us, there’s a sense of power when what we upload on the new media draws a reaction, or perhaps even a policy change by the authorities.
But what happens when you witness a crime unfold in front of your eyes, or when you see someone performing an indecent act – or an act that is simply unacceptable to you?
The other day, I was doing my work at a cafe, when I saw two teenage girls French kissing passionately every few minutes while pretending to study. I was tempted to videotape their next exchange, when I stopped myself and asked the following questions.
Why did I feel upset? What was wrong with the scene I was watching? Would I feel the same were it a boy and a girl? And why was I so intent on putting it up on Youtube? Was it meant to further an agenda of mine, or just to share something I’d seen with others?
Recently two teenagers were caught having sex in the bus on the phone cam. What set me thinking was not why the teenager did what they do. Rather, I was concerned with the purpose of the person who used the phone cam to tape the event.
What happens if it was a life and death situation? Would he continues to tape the event in the name of recording news or would he stops and helps the victim? Did it satisfy his lust for power when he put the tape up on the net for the rest of the world to see?
News-gathering no longer rests on the mainstream professional like reporters, journalist and broadcasters. It is a fact that these days, “news” can be reported by anyone with a hand phone and broadband access.
How do we handle such power? It is more than a twitch of our thumb to send an SMS, or the click of the mouse to upload the information. The information that we upload will have an impact on others as well as the newsmaker. We have to take them into consideration in our action. What purpose will it serve? Will it destroy their life? Will it bring about changes that will improve their life?
Who should police such power? Perhaps we can trust humanity and believe that decency and self-discipline will ensure that the new media would not degenerate into a cess pool. Or should the law should be changed so that individual privacy can be protected? What about the rights of owner of the phone cam? Is his right violated if he is prevented from putting up on the net whatever he fancy? Should the freedom given to speech now include freedom to blog, to upload video clip and to podcast?
Perhaps we should not be so trigger happy when we plan to upload any news on the net without the permission of the newsmaker. A bit of caution and reflection is always preferable to throwing caution to the wind as we wait to see how this power is managed by society.
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1 comment:
You're right, Frances. Although some might see news as a bringing to light of the truth, some truth is better withheld if it does no good to anyone, and would cause more harm instead.
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