The amorality of the press

Software has bugs. That’s a given unless you have a formal proof of correctness with respect to specifications, something that doesn’t happen except in some areas of defence and health.

Facebook had a bug which allowed you to pretend that you were reporting inappropriate pictures and thereby gain access to a person’s private pictures. It’s a story, yes. It should be reported, yes, again. But, someone exploited this bug and then sequestered Mark Zuckerberg’s pictures. Zuckerberg is the man behind Facebook. Okay, that’s also a story. But, pray tell, what right does the newspaper have to print these pictures (even if they aren’t offensive)? Quite apart from legal consideration, is there any morality that deems it proper to publish someone’s pictures without their permission?

I find this repugnant. Who gives the press the moral right to (further) publish private pictures? Linking to the pictures as opposed to housing and publishing them is no better. It stinks.

Author: pitputim

I've enjoyed being a computer science professor in Melbourne, Australia, as well as band leader/singer for the Schnapps Band. My high schooling was in Chabad and I continued at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh in Israel and later in life at Machon L'Hora'ah, Yeshivas Halichos Olam. View all posts by pitputim