All Shades of Gray
Dan Barrett, Marquette University
However shocking a photo of a nude 9 year old girl running for her life may be, after recent controversy, some might say not seeing the photo is equally disturbing. At least that was the sentiment directed at Facebook execs when they censored Nick Ut’s 1972 Pulitzer Prize winning photo depicting Phan Thị Kim Phúc, a 9 year old Vietnamese girl in the moments after having her clothes burned off her body. The image, although graphic, has and always should have had a place on Facebook many are arguing.
When Norwegian writer Tom Egeland posted the photo in a larger series of photos that “changed the history of warfare” he was not expecting to be censored and subsequently banned from Facebook. After learning about the situation, others, including news editor Espen Egil Hansen posted the image supporting Egeland and the image was once again removed. Hansen wrote in response to the ban, “Even though I am editor-in-chief of Norway’s largest newspaper, I have to realize that you are restricting my room for exercising my editorial responsibility…I think you are abusing your power, and I find it hard to believe that you have thought it through thoroughly.” The sentiment was matched with support from other powerful figures including Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
Dear Mark Zuckerberg. I follow you on Facebook, but you don't know me. I am editor-in-chief of the Norwegian daily…www.aftenposten.no
The photographer, Nick Ut, also chimed in saying that the photo shows “tragedy not nudity,” and that he is grateful to the people of Norway for their support.
Facebook would later reinstate the photo and lift the ban on those who shared it, but the whole situation was met with global backlash. According to an article in the Guardian, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been priming the company’s stance in the months since the controversy surrounding Facebook’s News function. Zuckerberg said at a recent conference, “We are a tech company, not a media company,” “The world needs news companies, but also technology platforms, like what we do, and we take our role in this very seriously.” But, as many would point out, this statement is ignorant to the power Facebook has as the largest distributer of news in the world.
The real ethical questions lurking underneath the “Napalm Girl” controversy are where Facebook’s loyalties lie. Although Facebook was built as a tech company, the technology that they have created has blurred the lines between what is and is not news, and has brought to light the impact that news editing, censorship and prioritizing can have on the general public.
In my humble opinion, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime for Facebook. The media is changing so quickly that no rule book or code of ethics can be applied in a fool proof way. We need situations like these in order to sift through the ‘shades of gray’. And frankly, if a picture of a nude little girl didn’t raise red flags at Facebook I would be equally as concerned.
What Facebook did was wrong, but they are in the unique spot of having to write the rulebook as they go. Thankfully there are people that are bold enough to say something. Facebook is a tech company that is learning about how to navigate its loyalty to a greater purpose of common good and ethical standards as a media company. And, for the record, keep in mind that Facebook was made a public sharing platform less than 10 years ago. Mark Zuckerberg is 32 years old.
And in the end, Facebook admitted the fault. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s COO said in response to the decision, “These are difficult decisions and we don’t always get it right… Even with clear standards, screening millions of posts on a case-by-case basis every week is challenging.” And she went on to say that they realized the historical significance of the photo outweighed the graphic content.
Although the controversy doesn’t give us any clear black and white answers as to what we can consider historical or any leads as to how to distinguish loyalties, what is does do is bring to light questions of loyalty and ethics when trying to navigate a modern media landscape.
Facebook needs to know its power and be loyal to ethics beyond its community guidelines, consumers need to continue playing watchdog to companies, and in the end we all need to know our history a little better.
Dan Barrett
Comm 3900
Marquette University
