…The Echoes of Viral Trauma: A Reflection on Media Ethics and Child Safeguarding and Protection
120112023
Viral Content and Child Trauma: The story begins with a 2021 video where a 4-year-old child pleads not to be beaten by his mother. This video quickly went viral, capturing widespread attention, including that of the Governor of Lagos State. However, the viral nature of the video overshadowed the child’s trauma, transforming a grave issue into a mere spectacle.
Media Sensationalism and Ethical Concerns: A few of us, including myself, criticized how bloggers, social media, and traditional media sensationalized the child’s trauma by sharing this video. Despite our professional warnings and insights highlighting the lack of sensitivity, the child’s distress was exploited for traffic and engagement. Our voices were not only ignored but also vilified, as popular opinion prevailed.
The Impact of Public Exposure: The child’s identity and trauma were continuously exposed to the public, leading to repeated traumatization. This disregard for the child’s best interests and privacy was a significant point of contention.
Tragic Turn of Events: Fast forward 2023, last week pricisely, the story took a sorrowful twist with news that the child’s mother, previously linked to the viral video, allegedly committed suicide. This incident thrust the child back into the public spotlight, underscoring the media’s insensitivity to the family’s privacy and the ensuing tragedy.
Media’s Role in Amplifying Personal Tragedies: I believe the mother’s alleged suicide would have likely remained unreported if not for her link to the viral video. This suggests a media tendency to magnify personal tragedies, especially when they can be connected to past sensational events.
Consequences of Linking Current Events to Past Sensations: The media’s decision to associate the alleged suicide with the viral video not only sensationalized a family tragedy but also brought unwarranted attention back to the child. This exploitative approach repurposed a private incident for viewership and readership.
Ethical Implications: Linking the alleged suicide to the viral incident raises serious ethical questions. It displays a blatant disregard for the privacy and well-being of those involved, particularly the child, who faces public scrutiny and potential retraumatization.
Need for Responsible Journalism: This narrative emphasizes the necessity of responsible journalism. Media outlets should be mindful of the long-term impact of their reporting, especially on vulnerable individuals like children. Exploiting personal tragedies for viewership is contrary to ethical journalism principles.
Reflecting on Media Consumption: The narrative also invites reflection on the audience’s role in media consumption. Public interest in sensational stories can unintentionally prompt media to chase such narratives, often at the expense of privacy and ethics.
Call for Responsible Reporting: The story concludes with a strong plea for responsible media reporting. It highlights the urgent need to safeguard the privacy and wellbeing of children and to reject sensationalist methods that exploit individual tragedies for profit or entertainment.
Overarching Lessons: The primary lessons from this story are the critical importance of media ethics in the age of digital virality, the necessity to prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of children over sensationalism, and a call for increased responsibility in reporting, particularly in cases involving minors and sensitive issues. This story is a powerful reminder of the impact that media and public attention can have on individuals, especially vulnerable children, and the ethical responsibilities of information disseminators.
Taiwo AKINLAMI 