Tag Archives: ethics

The Ethics of Death on YouTube

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A diver’s death captured on camera has more than 8 million views on YouTube Blue Hole

Earlier this week, Slate published an article entitled, “Diver’s Cemetery: The Blue Hole of Dahab.”  The article details the story of Yuri Lipski, a Russian diver who lost his life in Egypt’s infamously dangerous “Blue Hole” sinkhole in April 2000.  When Lipski’s body was retrieved, it was discovered that a helmet camera he was wearing during the dive captured his last minutes.  And thanks to YouTube, this footage has been viewed over 8 million times around the world.

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The Ethics of Photoshop

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When does digital retouching cross a line?

Americans are all too familiar with the effects of Photoshop.  Standing in line at the checkout counter, consumers are bombarded with magazine covers featuring beautiful, digitally enhanced celebrities.  Yet, Americans both accept and perpetuate this tradition of retouching.  In fact, should a cover model not display a perfectly chiseled body, a scandal erupts.  However, accepting as consumers are of photoshopped images in the celebrity world, they reject the retouching of photographs shared by news organizations.  Actually, the retouching of images in this setting is considered unethical, as reality is neither truthfully nor accurately depicted.  Recently, AP freelance photographer Narciso Contreras ignored this ethical standard, and as a result, is now facing serious consequences.

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