Is it ethical to expose an individual to the world? By this I would clarify that maybe this individual has been involved with some kind of unfathomable crime. Maybe this convicted person was a rapist? Maybe they killed someone? And in regards to societies views on the subject of conviction, anyone committing these crimes against society is automatically reduced to no more than a speck in the eyes of the obedient.
Yet, I struggle to comprehend that a person is any less human once a crime is on their backs. Maybe this is because I see everyone on a soulful level? So for this, I’m not too sure. We are all born, we all live and we all have the same colour blood.
But as soon as someone is shamed for their actions and behaviour, it is almost like society kicks them out of any human make-up.
I came across this idea the night I watched the ‘Paedophile Hunter’ whilst browsing through Facebook. It seems to be something that many people are familiar with, probably due to the fact that anything on social media can spread around like wild fire.
So the journalist behind the operation aims to catch those who disobey the law. Catching sex offenders by deception.
Now deception is ethically wrong. Most decent journalists would regard it as wrong. Society would generally class it as wrong. But in the pursuit to catch the unattractive in the world it appears that such an act is no longer inappropriate and in fact, pretty damn smart.
If defending the vulnerable in the world can be achieved by a few lies, I would argue that maybe this ‘hunter’ is doing a fantastic service to us. But once the criminal has been caught, their name is plastered across social media through the videos that equip the hunt.
I think we could all assume what would happen in prisons if one was found out to have committed (but yet not technically) sexual acts against children.
So that is why I question the ethics behind this journalists actions. Yes, he is doing a service to society in regards to protection. But another person has now had their life tarnished through trickery. Criminals are people too.
Maybe this should be a service practiced less publicly…
Vicky Crossley Blogs 