Ethics
Social media is an umbrella term used to describe the social interactions that occur online between individuals via a social network or platform. Social media is extremely different to traditional media forms in that its speed and scope allows content to be published instantaneously, to a global audience. Due it being free or available at an extremely low cost compared to other media forms it does not require a lot of technical knowledge to understand how to use it, which allows a large number of individuals to publish content as opposed to other media forms. Online cultures exist under the umbrella term, social media. Online cultures refer to the cultures that emerge from the use of social networks for communication, entertainment and business. The following online cultures that I belong to are: Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to name a few.
Facebook is a popular free social networking website that allows registered users to create profiles, upload photos and videos, send messages and keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues across the world. Upon signing up individuals receive a Facebook profile which has a variety of networking components. The ethical issues that I have confronted whilst belonging to an online culture such as Facebook are issues of members creating fake Facebook profiles. Many individuals create fake profiles to infiltrate other member’s profiles in order to befriend and stalk them. Another reason why members create fake profiles are because they are unhappy with who they are and their overall image and believe that by taking on a different persona they will be accepted and recognised. The unethical issue that arises from creating a fake profile is that many individuals use the content of others profile such as their photos and passing them off as their own which is ideally plagiarism. I have experienced this first hand by someone befriending me, posing as someone else in order to have access to my photos and profile content. This is a breach of privacy as the individual befriended me on false pretences.
YouTube is a free video-hosting website that allows members to create a YouTube channel to store and share video content. YouTube allows members to upload videos, subscribe to other channels and to like, dislike and comment on other member’s videos. YouTube members and website visitors can share YouTube videos on a variety of web platforms by using a link or by embedding HTML code. The unethical issues that I have confronted whilst belonging to an online culture such as YouTube is that of hate speech, as members are allowed to comment freely about other members videos. Even though individuals have the right to freedom of expression it is not absolute. In the Bill of Rights it states that the right to freedom of speech does not extend to advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion and that constitutes incitement to cause harm. I am subscribed to a YouTuber named Brandon Berg who posts videos for entertainment purposes. After viewing one of his videos I proceeded to read the comments where one member had commented the following: “You may very well be the grandest faggot in the entire universe. Please slit your throat and kill yourself so you don't waste anymore of the oxygen that other worthy beings need. Thanks.” Even though YouTube has a hate speech policy, members are still commenting hurtful, degrading words such as these and this comment has not been removed.
Fig. 21. Facebook Logo (2015)
Fig. 20. Social Media (2015)
Fig. 22. YouTube Logo (2015)