Mug Shots

John D. Thomas 

January 24, 2013 

https://www.digitalethics.org/essays/mug-shots

"Wanted: Place Your Face Here"

First Impression:

Mugshots reminds me of two things: one, photos being taken by the police station when you are getting imprisoned and two, it would be also be one's profile picture used in social media --- but only if you are using your real face in the photo and not some other picture of anything.

Quote: 

"You don't need to be a celebrity for your mug shot to be newsworthy. We've rounded up the most ridiculous jailhouse pics from normal everyday folks ... well, sort of normal ..."

Reflection Proper:

I have never been arrested myself, but I do know the feeling of mugshots somewhat----it's sort of like someone taking your photos for the yearbook, and if you did something wrong with your face or in your life, there would be a photo taken in courtesy that is now plastered in an album tucked into a shelf into the hall of shame. The point is that mugshots represent, in my opinion, an image of one's reputation in shambles or a reminder of the biggest mistake you have ever made in your life. But in accordance with the essay, mugshots, or rather specifcally, pictures of people who have been arrested, have a lot of ethical implications and complication involved. For instance, as shown in the article as an example, the newspaper known as the Chicago Tribune, which is highly known for its journalistic integrity and its two-dozen Pulitzer Prize-winning history, had the gall to create a gallery in its paper involving mugshots of people who have been arrested, but apparently not convicted. In my opinion, this crosses a line in journalism and newspaper norms, for newspapers should only post convicted people's mugshots or rather protect those who are poor, innocent, and has less power than everyone else. This sort of thing is sick---it's similar to exploiting the weak and defenseless and appealing to their basest desires just to mock and ridicule everyone who has been hitting a new low. If you ask me though, in my opinion, the newspapers out there or any type of publication, online or not, should think twice about what they are doing, because it's quite easy to destroy anyone's life just by posting any type of information, whether in the form of a photo or a video or something else, and once out there, that life destroyed, it can't be easily repaired and restored, and could lead to hideous consequences that will start getting back a la karma.

5 Things Learned From Article: 

1. I learned that mugshots are being misused nowadays online or not.

2. I learned about the fact about the Chicago Tribune ridiculing people who have been arrested but not convicted via a gallery on the arrested people's mugshots shown in their articles.

3. I learned about the cruelty involving mugshots can last forever online since the Net never forgets a face.

4. I learned that Google searches even can destroy lives in an instant especially if someone searches for a record of some sort involving an arrest of a person who is later found out to be innocent completely.

5. I learned that it's quite easy to destroy anyone's life just by posting any type of information.

5 Integrative Questions:

1. What's your take on mugshots?

2. How do you feel if someone took a photo of you and then misuses it and twists it into something else?

3. Do you know if the newspaper or "honest" websites are being ethical when it comes to things like using mugshots in the newspaper regardless if the mugshots involve people who are not convicted?

4. Why is there such as thing like lazy journalists with cruel streaks?

5. Did you have an experience or have someone who had experienced a tragic moment involving information about that someone being posted somehow and destroying his or her reputation somewhat?