Interjút adtam a Telexnek, aztán 24 órán belül vissza is léptem, a sztoritól meg felment a vérnyomásom az egekbe. De ha már, akkor gondoltam, letesztelem, a ChatGPT kiköpi

I have a story and I would like you to provide a minimum 10 paragraph evaluation from an ethical standpoint.

I was approached by a journalist to give an interview as a stay-at-home dad. I agreed, and, although reluctatntly, I also agreed to allow myself to be photographed to make the article more effective. However, I told them right from the start that I, under any circumstances, will not allowed my son to be photographed. They said this is out of the question from their perspective as well.

The interview happened while I was walking my son, and they proposed to make the photos in a nearby park. They wanted my son’s pram in the pictures and they asked whether it is okay if the top of his cap appears on the photo. I confirmed that the top of his hat is okay. During the photography session, the photographer indicated that my son peeked out of the pram, and said that they may need to mask his face out. I confirmed they would definitely need to do so.

When receiving back the photos next morning which they recommeded to publish, I saw that instead of aiming for the top of my son’s head, they made full figure pictures of him, and they made his face fully visible. When I reminded them that this is against everything they agreed upon, they said they would look for a solution and I have not heard from them until 9pm. By that time I was pretty desperate that they would publish the photos without my agreement, so I let the journalist know that I am withdrawing my entire interview and demanded to delete everything they have from us.

While they confirmed that they complied, they kept insisting that they fully kept their end of the bargain and I just misunderstood them.

From an ethical standpoint, the behavior of the journalist and photographer in this situation raises several concerns. It is important to consider the potential harms that could result from their actions, as well as the principles of honesty and respect for privacy that should guide journalistic practices.

Firstly, the journalist and photographer appear to have misled the interviewee by suggesting that they would not photograph his son, but then proceeding to take and share full figure pictures of the child without consent. This breach of trust undermines the credibility of the journalism profession and could cause harm to the family by exposing their child to potential risks or unwanted attention.

Additionally, by failing to respect the interviewee’s boundaries and preferences, the journalist and photographer may have violated his rights to privacy and autonomy. Even if they believed that including the child in the photos would enhance the article’s impact, they had a responsibility to obtain explicit and informed consent from the parent before doing so.

Furthermore, the journalist’s and photographer’s response to the interviewee’s concerns demonstrates a lack of accountability and sensitivity towards his feelings. Instead of acknowledging their mistake and taking steps to rectify it, they attempted to shift the blame onto the interviewee and downplay the seriousness of the issue. This could further harm the interviewee’s trust in journalists and hinder the possibility of future cooperation.

In terms of broader ethical principles, the behavior of the journalist and photographer raises questions about the responsibilities of journalists towards their subjects and the public. Journalists have a duty to report truthfully and accurately, while also respecting the dignity and rights of those they interview. In this case, the journalist and photographer appear to have prioritized their own interests over the well-being of the interviewee and his family.

Overall, the situation described raises several ethical concerns about the behavior of the journalist and photographer. It highlights the importance of obtaining explicit and informed consent from interviewees, respecting their boundaries and preferences, and being accountable for one’s actions. Journalists and photographers have a responsibility to act in accordance with these principles in order to maintain the trust and credibility of the journalism profession, as well as to protect the rights and well-being of the individuals and communities they report on.