This week we are continuing our exploration of autonomy- this time through the lens of privacy and confidentiality. We're all familiar with privacy laws but this week you're invited to think about what ethical principles underpin issues of privacy. What other principles need balanced or should privacy be absolute?
Have a look at this case from the news media last week. When you respond focus your arguments on the ethical issues. Try to explore what ethical principles are important. This will help cement the ideas of this week's focus -plus get you back into the swing of ethical thinking after the break!
Okay- here's the story:
An angry Auckland mother is calling for tighter privacy laws around filming children after her son was filmed while having a tantrum.
The mother, who asked not to be named, says her 3-year-old son was out with his grandmother in Remuera when he had a tantrum on the footpath.
Another woman started filming the screaming boy on her cellphone.
The grandmother went to the photographer and told her that was unacceptable and the video should be deleted.
'The woman tried to justify it by saying that she wanted to share the video with her daughter because her granddaughter has meltdowns, but nothing like this,' the mum says.
'I was extremely upset and angry to think that this woman thought it acceptable to film [her son] when he was so distressed, for the purposes of sharing it with her family – so they could all feel better about themselves because – look at this kid!'
The mum says she worked out who the photographer was and confronted her.
She says the woman still tried to explain that she was trying to capture his scream to show her daughter.
The woman confirmed the video had been deleted but only because it had worked out badly because she was standing too far away.
The mum says she believes tighter rules are needed on what can and can't be filmed/photographed when young kids are concerned.
'This is not her child and she has no right to record him, let alone share it further.'
Submissions are being held on a new Privacy Bill to replace the Privacy Act.
But under the act, the filming of the tantrum by the other woman is legal.
Individuals can film others if they are doing it for personal reasons and 'a reasonable person would not find it highly offensive'.
He says in this case the reason seems a bit flimsy but it's still likely to be legal.
Gunasekara says some might think filming another person's child's tantrum crosses the line, but he suspects a reasonable person would not think it 'highly offensive'.
Media source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/107012666/mum-mad-at-other-woman-for-videoing-her-childs-tantrum
What do you think? What is your ethical argument?
Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/screams-of-joy-child-childhood-2481573/
It is proposed that filming children in public without permission should be illegal