Introduction
Journalism ethics is a subset of communication ethics studies that seek to define, analyze, and promote the correct and virtuous conduct among professional media workers. The first substantial attempts to develop the norms of responsible journalism can be traced back to 17th century Europe (Ward 307). Inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment, people developed such free-press values as objectivity and respect for the different opinions (Hamada, “Towards a Global Journalism” 194). Such ethical rules proved to be effective for many years as they are without a doubt beneficial to society members in many ways. However, the recent development of technology and the growth of social media and online media platforms changed information circulation significantly worldwide. As a result, a number of crucial changes – such as, for instance, the growing number of fake information – have occurred, which led to the necessity to elaborate the ‘updated’ journalism ethics (García-Avilés 10). For this reason, this study aims to examine new standards of ethical communication that are being dictated by media professionals, adjusted for current trends.
This paper looks at the current debate about the principles of journalistic ethics in the digital age. In particular, the author identifies the importance of journalistic ethics in modern society and the directions of its development. In the following parts of the work, journalistic ethics, being a social phenomenon, is considered in the context of the transformation of the established values of Western culture towards Eastern approaches, where collective values are of great importance. On the basis of a certain need for a transition to mixing the individual and the collective within the framework of the modern digital field and media space, a nominal theory of journalism corresponding to the current conditions is singled out. In particular, the author identifies the transition from journalistic ethics to communicative ethics as the basis for content production in current conditions. Finally, the transformation of roles in the framework of the modern communication process is considered, which together leads to an analysis of existing ethical problems and an attempt to develop a framework for overcoming them.
The literature review has identified several ethical issues that have emerged relatively recently and are associated with rapid technological progress. However, this paper does not attempt to establish guidelines for resolving each of them. On the contrary, this work is more philosophical than practical, which in the future will allow future researchers to rethink or transform the very approach to the consideration of journalistic ethics. In particular, in the digital age, technology provides journalists with the ability to produce quality, neutral content. Additionally, algorithmic tools can customize it according to the individual needs of the audience. However, this process is in the nature of meeting demand, while journalists can use ethics not as a tool but turn it into their specific professional function. Within the digital space, journalists can act as bearers of responsibility for the content produced, as well as as a vehicle for communicating important social messages. Journalistic ethics, although it cannot be unified, can be used to create emotional content that requires a clear moral assessment in each specific situation.
The article by Sánchez Laws and Utne, “Ethical Guidelines of Immersive Journalism,” from the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI, was taken as a model for the structure of this work. The article, which was used as a starting point, begins with an introduction that describes the meaning, significance, importance, and relevance of the issue raised through the lens of both technology and ethics (Sánchez Laws and Utne 3-19). It then provides basic guidelines and the implications for the roles of the journalist in global automation and technological development. The next part is a discussion describing the main theories, moral questions of the general and the particular, which ends with examples. In the conclusion, goals for further research and a guideline for specific values are given.
This paper also first describes the relevance of journalism ethics in a globalized world. Through the statement of the problem, a change in roles in communication processes is traced. Included are special sections on current trends in ethics, which also discuss various theories and ethical issues. More extensive work has been carried out to review literature and represent problems in this area. While the above article focuses on a narrower focus of the issue and cites cases from Norwegian journalism as examples, this paper looks at cases worldwide due to the globalization of processes (Sánchez Laws and Utne 16). This article’s guidelines have been transformed into a presentation of the main ethical problems, possibilities for solutions, and values, which are guided by the current trends in journalism. As an example of technologies, social networks are considered, within which the problem of information verification is raised. The values and functions of the issue considered and their implementation and differentiation are included in this work, according to the structure of the above article.
The Significance of Journalism Ethics in Globalized World
Social conditions are determinants of how the behavior of people in society is formed and how it is evaluated from a moral standpoint. In particular, changing social conditions influence which values dominate and characterize ethical conduct. Ethical principles define interactions between people, institutional structures, and social roles. In turn, depending on public requests, they can be transformed to meet new conditions. Thus, modern society considers a wider range of ethical problems than society in the past. For example, the global community is currently paying increased attention to the issues of gender and racial inequality, environmental concerns, or aspects of data privacy. In the past, these topics did not concern people widely since they were not a social necessity and priority. However, society is gradually developing, which also introduces changes in those factors that seem to the public to be significant and important.
Currently, the development of ethical principles and standards is becoming increasingly important, as they allow to ensure the safety and stability of society. Rules of socially accepted conduct aim to protect the interests of all members of community, as well as groups. Ward defines ethics as “the analysis, evaluation, and promotion of what constitutes correct conduct and virtuous character in light of the best available principles” (295). In today’s increasingly diversified global community, ethics are essential to address potential clashes of interest and emerging conflicts. Within the framework of globalization, this process is of critical importance since it allows ensuring the stability of the entire world society. Ignoring ethical principles or standarts can result in discord among members of the global community, which inevitably leads to the destabilization of an already fragile system.
Modern technologies, combined with the process of globalization, are transforming communication within the framework of contemporary society. Nowadays, the ethics of journalism is becoming more and more critical for the functioning of the media in the changed conditions. Price et al. note that in modern society, trust in traditional media as the exclusive provider of news and information, in general, has declined significantly (1). This process leads to increased public attention to the moral and ethical aspects of journalistic practice, in particular to the collection and presentation of information. According to Auman et al., universal ethical principles will help restore not only faith in journalism but also develop effective approaches to its functioning in a digital context in the global arena (9). In journalistic practice, ethical standards are the basis, as they ensure a responsible attitude to the transfer of information.
Overall, the media industry now needs to change its core principles to match the focus on global rather than local play. With the advent and development of new technologies, this factor plays an increasingly prominent role, transforming the very purpose of journalism. Lindell and Karlsson note that nowadays, most journalists, despite working for regional or national companies, have a globalized view of the media industry (868). They somehow connect their local audience with the international agenda and also interact within the global community. However, these principles are not the guidance of their practice at the structural level, which identifies the limited role of individual relationships in global transformation (Lindell and Karlsson 868). The main reason for the impossibility of adapting the media industry to current conditions is the stable and ingrained social values and beliefs of which it is a part. Thus, in order to create the ethical principles of journalism in a digitalized context, a wider range of interrelated factors must be considered.
The Merger of Western and Eastern Values as Foundation for the New Ethics
Modern ethical principles of journalism, which also govern the educational process in this area, are built primarily on the values of Western culture. As Hamada, “Towards the Global Journalism” notes, the practice of journalism is currently broadcasting a predominantly Western worldview, although the audiences are “diverse, affiliated to different cultural backgrounds, some of which are strongly resistant to the hegemony of the mono global culture” (192). However, the diversification of communication channels caused by the processes of globalization often leads to the use of appropriate technologies by competing groups. Thus, digitalization is a major cultural turning point in the media industry, allowing journalists to develop new skills and qualities in communicating with their audience (Eberwein and Porlezza 330). Audience inquiries are currently a priority when creating journalistic content, which raises ethical concerns.
Considering ethical principles as a fundamental element of modern journalism in a digital context is primarily related to the need to redefine social interaction. As Ivanhoe underlines, “there is a special joy in finding and fulfilling one’s roles in the greater social order, and this joy arises when we begin to accord spontaneously with the greater, more meaningful patterns and processes of social life” (147). A reappraisal of the Western values of an individualistic culture centered on self rather than others is necessary for the modern society for the functioning of any media. Currently, people are connected with each other permanently and inextricably, which makes the life of community and people around a part of the individual private life of each person. Awareness of this fact makes it possible to think more about the interests and values of diverse inhomogeneous groups, which reflects the Eastern view (Ivanhoe 148). Within the framework of modern culture, this approach allows us to take into account the values of a globalized society, which, from the point of view of journalism, makes it possible to take care of the well-being of a wide audience.
Journalism ethics is gaining in importance in the new media environment, which is characterized by the absence of national borders. In modern society, the news is not the property of a certain individual group; it affects many representatives of the global community. In this case, this view reflects the need to move from the Western individualistic approach to the Eastern one. Ignoring the needs of many groups is no longer possible, as it threatens international peace (Hamada, “Towards the Global Journalism” 190). Thus, modern journalistic ethics need to develop greater cultural sensitivity, as it has a wider range of responsibilities to the global community. Currently, declining trust in the media leads to problems in reporting on culturally sensitive topics, as well as in information gathering practices. In particular, in many states, media freedom in covering controversial issues is significantly limited, which is intended to support the principles of the inclusiveness of society (Price et al. 2). This view coincides with the Eastern view of the paramount importance of the public, not the individual good.
The processes of mixing and implementation of both Western and Eastern collective values can be a determinant in the process of changing the roles of the media industry in society. In particular, respect for the rights of every individual, as well as the maintenance of collective well-being through meeting the interests of most groups and preventing conflicts, is a fundamental factor shaping current journalistic practice. In modern society, every individual has the right to express ideas and thoughts, but it is also limited by the values of other members of community, which is the greatest difficulty for the development of ethical standards of the media space. Ethical principles at the present time must satisfy the dualistic nature of society, which seeks both personal and collective good. Within the global community, this factor is most significant as it affects a large number of groups and their interests and values.
Normative Theories and Ethical Communication
In current conditions, the normative theory of the functioning of media resources, based on Western doctrine, is outdated and does not reflect the current situation. In particular, the ethical principles on which journalistic practice is currently being built still rely on the perception of the media as a means of mass communication. Normative theory, in particular, reflects the view that the media is a prerequisite of democracy, postulates the values of the vaults of expression and speech (Fourie 111). Thus, within the framework of traditional views, the main function of media is directly producing a variety of content that reflects social values and norms. There are various normative theories, each of which is based on expectations that media and journalism must meet within a specific political and social context. Oluwasola notes that the main two types of normative theories are authoritarian and liberal, the interaction of which further gives rise to sub-theories (28). However, not one of the existing theories reflects the current social conditions, but within which content consumers are active participants in the communication process.
This aspect is critically important in the development of standards for journalistic ethics. As Fourie notes, modern journalism needs to develop the principles of ethical communication (110). This factor is due to the transition from mass to network communication, which determines the nature of the interaction of people within society. Currently, media resources and the audience are equal participants in the communication process, which can influence each other’s practices. The main difference between ethical communication and the earlier focus on media ethics or journalism is the focus on the user rather than the media resource (Fourie 111). This is due to the fact that in the modern landscape, the user also becomes a content producer, and interaction is based on trust and mutual respect.
Thus, ethical communication has a more humanistic orientation, emphasizing the importance of respecting the individual values of the information consumer. At the same time, the focus, in this case, is on the communication interaction of the self with other members of society. There is an opinion that journalists should respond to the reduction of certain human freedoms in the world, while continuing to comply with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights – only in this case, it can be considered that journalism distinguishes humanity as a separate category of values (Aiman et al. 10). A normative theory that is appropriate for the modern context and meets the current social requirements must be based on the general human values that bind the members of society. These values, in turn, need to be identified on the basis of diversity and difference principles that emphasize individual traits. Most importantly, modern normative media theories should “acknowledge and accept that there are various legitimate communities of identity with not necessarily a universal vision of the common good” (Fourie 114). Therefore, diversity should be the basis of ethical principles for the modern media landscape.
This concept can reflect both the diversity of social groups and representatives and the multitude of channels for transmitting information, as well as different forms of content. The modern world, in particular the digital world, offers journalists a variety of forms of providing information that is also available to the audience. In the present conditions, it is important to take into account these versatile factors, which ultimately result in communication. Consideration should be given to both the consumers of the content and the channels of its transmission. In general, the modern media landscape is characterized by hybridization, which concerns not only technological but also social aspects.
The Shift of Roles in Communication Process
In addition to changes in the structure of the audience, there is also a transformation of information transmission channels and the influence of various actors on the formation of journalistic practice. In particular, modern innovative technologies such as digital communications are gradually blurring the boundaries between content producers and audiences (García-Avilés 3). Fourie emphasizes that the transition to network communication instead of mass communication marks a change in the roles of participants in the process of producing and consuming content (109). Technology is now enabling the collection and dissemination of information in a multitude of ways, which is gradually changing the role of journalism in people’s lives. It is also important that in everyday life, more and more people become not only consumers but also producers of content. Moreover, technology is placing an increasing focus on data collection and interpretation, which is raising new ethical concerns (McBride 2-4). Such transformations in the global information field make their own adjustments to the activities of journalists, who are forced to adapt to new conditions.
The development of technology and the provision of new communication channels to society provide a shift in roles in the production and consumption of content. Social media played a huge role in this transformation and their active use in generating and distributing content. The main advantage of social media over traditional media is its universal accessibility. In particular, nowadays, every netizen can be a content producer and reporter with a smartphone and Internet access. It is not uncommon for social media users to share information that can later be used by journalists to complement their reporting, which opens up many opportunities for events coverage that journalists have missed (Johnston 901). In this situation, the audience becomes a co-producer of journalistic content. On the one hand, it cannot exist separately on journalistic practice since it does not represent a full-fledged piece of information. On the other hand, they can be used to interpret events in reporting.
In this regard, a number of ethical concerns may arise, which consist in how correctly the journalist uses content from social media to represent the event. In particular, journalists acquire a new role that requires them to verify the reliability of one or another piece of information found on the Internet and produced by its users (Johnston 903). Thus, integrating user-generated content is both a challenge and an opportunity for the media industry. Johnston separately notes that the main difficulty lies in the need to verify the range, which is especially important when reporting on culturally sensitive topics (908). In this regard, ethical principles are needed to define procedures for verifying and interpreting user-generated content. In modern conditions of large flows of information, the reliability of which may raise doubts, journalists need to provide truthful information. Nevertheless, when using this kind of content, there is always a threat of misinterpretation of the materials and, as a result, misleading the audience.
The public as a recipient of information becomes a direct participant in the process of creating and distributing content. In this situation, a new type of communication emerges, within the framework of which a trusting relationship is built with the media audience and journalists. However, a potential problem in this context could be “misinformation, disinformation, and trolls—people who use digital technologies to deliberately attack, provoke, or distort” (Culver 488). On the one hand, such interaction between journalists and consumers of information is a critical component for successful interaction between the media and the target audience. In contrary, significant efforts are required to monitor valuable content effectively and use it to support the creation of content.
Public Participation and Privacy Concerns
At the same time, within a democratic agenda, public participation in news production is an important aspect of maintaining mutual trust. In particular, this approach can lead to the creation of virtual public spaces, where users themselves regulate the structure of content generation (Fourie 117). Within such a sphere, users constitute an enemy structure with their own attitudes and opinions, which represent diversity. Regarding the framework of network communication, this is a critical factor when considering the ethics of journalism, as it allows one to understand how public opinion affects the functioning of the media.
The most significant transformation of the digital era, which significantly influenced the ethical principles adopted in journalism, is the expanded opportunities for public participation in the media space. Traditional media try to restrict public participation in journalistic practice, which is contrary to the media industry’s essence of serving the public (Culver 490). Virtual public spaces partially grant the public the right to participate in the management of journalism practices through feedback and expression. This transformation complicates the functioning of the media industry, as it implies indirect control over the activities of the press by the public. With the proliferation of social media and the web, people have gained access to direct communication with both the community and content producers. From the point of view of ethics, this mechanism is a way of exercising control over the observance of the most important principles of journalism necessary for functioning in modern society.
Public involvement in media and journalism development and content production raises questions of privacy and public interest. Digital media blur the lines between private and public property (Price et al. 153). As a result, such clashes lead to conflicts over privacy issues leading to security problems. This dilemma can be called the opposition of the universal and the particular, which constitutes an ethical problem. In more detail, the disclosure of private information for the common good is a subjective matter. As a result, journalistic ethics are in a difficult position when making decisions in conditions of confidentiality: what information can be presented to the public, and what should be hidden.
The rise of big data, which depersonalizes individual data, and the proliferation of information-gathering drones, pose the greatest privacy threats in journalistic ethics. A certain amount of freedom within the community is considered by philosophers and sociologists as a mandatory prerequisite for self-development and effective performance of social roles (Plaisance 95). At the same time, within the framework of journalistic ethics, the question is raised about how much the problem of privacy, in general, is a concern of the journalist (Plaisance 95). In this situation, it is necessary to determine which aspects are included in the privacy of individual data and public interests. The question of the degree of confidentiality of each individual piece of information should be considered individually for use in journalism. This issue is controversial and depends not only on journalists but also on the attitude of the public and individuals.
Resolving this dilemma requires the establishment of norms that are acceptable to all affected groups and taking into account their values. However, in order to establish ethical fairness, it is necessary to develop transparent systems for testing this or that information for violation of privacy or public interests. In this case, a dialogue is needed between the community and journalists, which can be challenging given the existence of many different groups involved in covering a variety of general topics. Moreover, the society and the context in which the established norms exist are also constantly transforming, which requires a revision of these agreements (Price et al. 154). In this situation, the only sensible result of resolving this dilemma is the direct establishment of ethical boundaries that would define the areas of privacy and public interest within a specific agenda.
In a democratic society, there is a generally accepted rule on the right to confidentiality of private information, but in certain extraordinary situations, this right can be violated. In this case, the ethics of journalism should be based on an assessment of the context within which the generation and dissemination of relevant content take place. The creation and development of norms regarding privacy should take place continuously with the participation of the community, as values are gradually transformed. Journalists need to monitor aspects of public interest regularly and evaluate from their point of view personal data that could be used in journalistic practice. In terms of ethics of journalism and communication, it is necessary to find a balance between the private and the public, which in modern society is becoming an increasingly dynamic process.
Social Media Platforms and Verification Concerns
While print media, which in the past were the only channel for transmitting information and news, often ignored the characteristics of their audience, in the modern world, these aspects come to the fore. The widespread use of different data on audience structure and behavior requires journalists to acquire new responsibilities due to the need for the ethical use of information (Hindman 178). An important factor that determines the ethical principles of modern journalism is the structure of the content that the audience requires. Levine states that “the journalism environment is being depopulated by newsroom closures and downsizing” (244). The amount of information that modern readers, especially in relation to news reports, can and want to perceive is significantly reduced. Currently, reporters are forced to produce more content that is more concise in nature. Thus, ethical principles are needed to determine how concise messages should be interpreted in order to avoid manipulation of facts.
Ethical issues in journalism were widespread in traditional media but only intensified with the development of social media and Internet communication. As noted by Hamada, “Social Media” platforms are a threat to professional journalism because they “are occupied by gossip, rumors, fake identities, and e-commercial activities” (46). In particular, diverse communities representing different interests demand more and more heterogeneous content, which potentially deteriorates its quality. Moreover, ubiquitous access to content production blurs the line between professional and lay journalists, raising ethical concerns about the definition of qualifications and expertise.
Traditional media provided a way for the public to communicate with officials and thus exercise control over their activities. In particular, for a lifetime, anyone can reach out to the public or government through social media platforms and remain anonymous (Hamada, “Social Media” 46). On the one hand, this factor makes it possible to improve democratic mechanisms through open access to interaction. On the other hand, the quality of such calls can be low, which increases the load on the system. Social media can become a source of fake news and misinformation, which negatively affects public awareness of current processes. This aspect raises ethical concerns about the process of verifying data and assessing their value to society.
With the proliferation of social media, there has been a shift towards minimizing the liability of journalists or content creators for the information they provide. In the case of traditional media, it is a simple task to identify those responsible in the person of the editor-in-chief or the authors of the article. However, in the context of the transmission of information through Internet channels, there is a huge amount of information on a related topic, which journalists can also include in their articles. This aspect does not allow identifying the sources and makes it difficult to verify the described facts. These facts negatively affect the credibility of both the journalistic resource and the content itself. In turn, this process results in a violation of public trust, which is a sign of unethical communication.
However, this kind of misinformation and fake news widely presented on social media can be an opportunity for professional journalists to assert their credibility through ethical principles. In particular, in the context of modern digitalization, journalism should remain the most transparent for the public and establish its responsibility for the information provided (Hamada, “Social Media” 48). Thus, journalistic ethics can be used as a new role for the media industry to fulfill in the present context. Ethics can form the basis for the functioning of journalism practices that distinguish professional journalists from social media content producers. In more detail, journalists can establish their credibility through the articulation of areas of responsibility in the production of content and maintaining public trust.
Ethics as Exclusive Journalism Function in Digital Era
In this regard, it seems interesting to consider the opposing opinions on the need to develop normative ethical standards for modern journalism. For example, Parks argues that the ethical and moral framework for the interpretation of information by journalists turns journalistic practice into a documentary and scientific work rather than a kind of humanistic art (1242). In this regard, it is interesting that the public does not potentially value objectivity and neutrality in journalistic work as much as it is commonly believed. In this situation, journalistic interpretation of events and the provision of insider information that emphasizes the values of certain groups is potentially more valuable for shaping the public agenda (Parks 1243). In particular, such a dialogue with the audience with a clear position of the content author allows journalism to be revealed as a socially significant activity and not as just information.
An important factor is also the fact that such an approach to journalism, which assumes a flexible ethical framework, allows you to establish a reporter’s authority. Within the framework of communication with the audience, this factor can be key in building relationships and trust. Without a doubt, this approach, which implies a decrease in the neutrality and objectivity of journalistic activities, can result in a mixture of the political and social functions of the media industry. However, this problem also depends on the context and is not completely irrelevant for modern society. In particular, it cannot be denied that complete objectivity in the provision of information is impossible, which means that achieving the most isolated and universal ethical standards is also idealistic.
The rapid development of technology leads to a mass of changes in journalism: from the way customers receive news, to the production of any content. In particular, automated and algorithmic systems offer journalists the opportunity to practice more effectively in the digital space. At the same time, the greater involvement of machines in the news production process leads journalists to a number of ethical questions. The most important of these is the very definition of who is a journalist and the identification of the boundaries of practice (Milosavljević and Vobič 1100). At the moment, journalistic activities are in a state of transformation and are faced with a number of fundamental ideological conflicts (Milosavljević and Vobič 1112). In particular, the most significant concerns include privacy and objectivity and defining the boundaries of technology and automation in the content creation process.
The ethical choice in this situation is to achieve such a degree of use of technology that the transparency of journalism remains at a high level. The widespread adoption of algorithms in all spheres of daily life is currently transforming the responsibilities and roles of professional journalists (Dörr and Hollnbuchner 415). Dörr and Hollnbuchner suggest that with the spread of artificial intelligence, as well as the involvement of non-professional journalists in the production of media content, the importance of individual morality among journalists decreases (415). Ethical principles must therefore be defined by organizations and communities that are moral actors in journalism. This assumption is valid in modern society when media corporations are evaluating the ethics of certain information.
However, in this regard, there is a risk of conflicts of interest at the institutional level. By empowering organizations to control the moral foundations of a society that are conveyed through media content, they can use their power and influence to advance certain agendas, making ethical concerns even greater (Plaisance 95). In these circumstances, it is a shortsighted and potentially harmful decision to play down the role of individual actors in the development and implementation of ethical principles. As Dörr and Hollnbuchner point out, assessing the ethics of journalistic practice should be based on “moral theories of utilitarianism, deontology, contractualism, and virtue ethics” (414-415). Organizations, in this case, are guided by other motives than the common good or individual moral values, which does not allow them to exercise ethical control effectively.
Although automation currently serves as a support to facilitate the collection and analysis of data for journalists, professionals are actively exploring the areas of application of these technologies in journalistic practice. Particular problems in the ethical context arise with regard to the automatic generation of content and news messages for the audience (Guzman 562). The potentially widespread use of automatically generated content is in conflict with the mission of the social service of journalism, which also undermines the foundations of professional practice (Guzman 562). In this situation, ethical norms and standards are the concern of software and automation technology developers. Thus, journalists, in general, have only an indirect relationship to the automatically generated content since they do not evaluate it from an ethical point of view. However, this raises questions about the importance of the role of editors in the selection and transformation of automatically generated content.
In this regard, the most important aspect is not to focus on journalists or the audience but directly on the relationship between people and technology. Machine-human communication comes to the fore, inviting researchers to pay attention to how humans set the ethical framework for technology. Currently, technologies can be considered not as a means of communication but as a direct participant in the communicative process (Guzman 570). This factor significantly complicates the development of ethical standards for journalism in modern conditions. Rather, in this context, one should speak about the philosophy of technology as a basis for future research. Within journalistic ethics, it is necessary to focus on considering the role of the journalist as an editor in relation to automatically generated content or algorithmic systems.
Immersive Journalism and the Role of the Journalist in the Digital Age
Advances in virtual reality technology are also allowing journalists to delve deeper into creating immersive experiences for audiences. Immersive journalism will enable one to develop multichannel media content that immerses the audience in the virial information field through virtual reality technologies. This type of journalism is becoming more and more popular as it “can give greater involvement and empathy toward news issues” (Sánchez Laws and Utne 1). Immersive journalism helps professionals present information from different angles to provide a more complete picture, as well as attract new audiences by using innovative technological approaches.
Immersive journalism is to place the user at the center of the narration and transfer of content, who interacts exclusively with the final product while inside it. This context assumes that the audience does not and should not perceive the authors, that is, the journalist who created the content. Immersive journalism is designed to create a completely isolated experience that requires an omission of the camera (Kool 3). However, in this situation, again, there is a problem of responsibility and interpretation of content. If the author should not exist in the minds of the audience, then they cannot associate the presented information with a specific individual who offers them any content. Pérez-Seijo and López-García suggest that in relation to immersive journalism, it is necessary to take particular practices that are aimed at direct identification by the audience of the creators of journalistic material (960). In particular, it is necessary to indicate that the identities of journalists and the film crew are intentionally hidden and also to include their names in the credits during and after the end of the material.
This practice has several important purposes that help support the role of the journalist in content creation. As noted, journalistic ethics should be based on the fact that, in contrast to non-professional content creators, professional journalists and companies clearly state their responsibility for the information provided. This positioning allows journalists to build trust with audiences and fulfill their mission of delivering public information services. In the case of immersive journalism, when materials are not focused on the reporter but on events, the information is depersonalized. Thus, it becomes difficult to identify who is creating this content and for what purpose, what focus is placed and what news issues are covered. Within the framework of journalistic practice, this approach minimizes the value and participation of journalists as professionals in the creation of media content, which negatively affects their social role.
Immersive journalism can be more than just a means of producing content, but a journalistic tool that is skillfully integrated into practice. For users, this technology is not “the only way of consuming news, but if done right, it can add value to many journalistic productions” (Nielsen and Sheets 2648). It is noteworthy that the audience also perceives this type of content as applicable for emotional immersion more than for presenting facts and statistics (Nielsen and Sheets 2648). In this regard, a discussion arises about the important role of journalists and communicative ethics in the modern world. Digital technologies are actively used to create more content, as well as to increase its neutrality and objectivity. However, in the case of the complex structure of the world media and the diverse needs of the audience, it can be assumed that at present, journalists are needed to perform a different, more socially oriented function.
The digital age dictates new rules for content creation, requiring an individual approach to assessing the production of media content. Technologies such as automation, algorithmization, immersive journalism maximize the quantity and quality of content. However, only journalists can personalize information, highlight socially significant aspects, and offer data for interpretation. In this regard, within the framework of journalistic ethics, it is necessary to pay more attention directly to control over the production of content, to technological supervision, and the creation of ethical principles of communication between machines and people. The ethics of journalists, in this case, is not a necessity but a function that can only be performed by people with the support of technological innovations.
The journalistic ethics of modern society should not be based on solving ethical dilemmas of privacy or the balance of public-private, but on defining the role of journalists and their functions. Hermann notes that the 20th century was marked by an increased focus on contextual journalistic stories rather than on the presentation of facts (265). Emotional connection with the audience against the backdrop of globalization is becoming a critical necessity in the current trends of journalism in the interpretation of events. Contextual journalism takes into account the opinion of the author, who does not just cover events in the manner of press releases, but highlights important points of a particular news feed. The technologies of immersive journalism in this situation can be used to create emotional materials that are aimed at initiating a dialogue with the audience.
Conversely, neutrality and objectivity are no longer relevant aspects of journalism in modern society. They can be completely transferred for consideration to technology and technology philosophy researchers. In a sense, the contemporary world offers more freedom to journalists than traditional media. First of all, they are able to create more varied content, as well as choose more engaging channels for conveying information. It is also important that journalists can participate in creating vital messages, as well as in resolving critical ethical dilemmas. From the point of view of journalistic ethics, issues of privacy of information, public interest, or values of groups still depend on the context and require consideration on a case-by-case basis.
Conclusion
Ethics has been the focus of public discussion for more than a decade, but attention to its principles is only growing in the modern world. The transformation of social conditions, as well as the current world, inevitably affects journalistic practice. The development of the digital space in contemporary society also cannot ignore this profession, which greatly complicates the moral and ethical concerns associated with it. However, the transformation of the means of production and delivery of content also inevitably leads to a change in the roles that the audience and journalists play. In today’s environment, each person can be a content producer, which highlights the confusion of collective and individual values. Despite the threat of devaluation of journalistic practices in the field of content creation, which can be automatically generated, a shift in roles has a positive impact. In the present conditions, ethics may not be a tool of journalistic practice but a direct function of professionals in this field.
In the digital era of neutral and objective content that meets the needs of a wide audience as well as the individual needs of users, journalists can acquire the exclusive right to create emotional and socially engaging content. As part of the discussion about ethical principles, this approach identifies the need for an individual approach to assessing the moral color of a material. In particular, journalists can use technology to create neutral content and represent the factor, and themselves act as transmitters of a socially significant agenda. In this situation, the ethical principles of the interaction of technology and journalistic practice remain for consideration by philosophers of technology. At the same time, the ethical standards of journalistic practice are transforming from the need to provide accurate and unbiased information to the audience towards the generation of socially valuable materials. Accordingly, in this connection, new ethical dilemmas arise, which are designed to assess the quality and social significance of a particular material. This area may provide a direction for future research in the ethics of journalism.
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