The image seen here is one of many graphic photographs that circulated during the Boston bombings. This week we were asked to discuss the ethical implications of such images. Let’s take a look at some of the repercussions of posting this content in the middle of a tragedy.
As you can see, the victim who lost his leg in the blast is seen without any effort to blur his face. This is potentially problematic considering that his loved ones might have lost contact with him after the explosion, and “many used social media to connect with friends and loved ones, also sparing the overloaded cell phone towers in the region.” This image could have been the way they learned of his injuries. Even worse, he could have died from his injuries and they watched it play out from their smartphone.
Relive Pain and Tragedy
If the victim survived, which I hope he did, this photo would be another reminder of how bad it was and it could force him and loved ones to relive that day. Many people seek therapy after tragic events. Stumbling across this image could be a major setback for him, or anyone else who was there. However, one form of therapy for people suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is Prolonged Exposure Therapy, which forces the individual to face their fears related to the traumatic event. Use of this photo might help the victim if he is seeking help for PTSD.
Terrorists post images and videos from afar to show the world what they are capable of. Our media does their job for them on our own soil. News organizations post images and videos for all to see and essentially credit the terrorists with the damage. Without terrorists even addressing it, this content can cause terror in citizens and scare them into changing their daily routines. The media aims to be the main source of information but whether they like it or not, there is some form of propaganda spewing from each graphic image.