LAist: Is This Man Alive?

Colfax

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:08:57 -0800

it looks like there's some rigor mortis going on in his shorts.

Will Campbell

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:20:14 -0800

BPP, Your initial argument is totally valid from an "ethics" standpoint. Editors such as Zach in media outlets all over the world regularly grapple with decisions about images of a graphic and invasive nature. It's very much a damned if you do/don't situation. I guess you missed it the first time but as I wrote before I appreciated the compassion you exhibited toward the victim. I'm sorry if my comment about your stand on permission necessitated your curt and snide responses.

Cody Fogh

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:23:51 -0800

Three weeks ago my mother-in-law was killed in a bizarre car accident that involved crashing into the side of a house, driving into a small lake, and eventually drowning in her submerged car in Florida. The event was shocking and strange enough for the local news to cover it. That whole first night was spent with my wife watching the same video of her mother's car being dragged out of the water. In as disturbing as that was to watch, being 3000 miles away, it was our only link to what happened. We were able to put the pieces together to try and figure out what happened, however the "why" is still a mystery. My point here is that it is difficult to draw the line between what is acceptable, newsworthy, and just bad taste. You've got to keep your readers interested and coming back, but you also need to step back and realize that we're all individuals with families and friends, and we all deserve our privacy in times of mourning, sorrow, or confusion. I think Zach posted these pictures because they were newsworthy, and because the man was unidentified, could possibly lead to helping the investigation. It could also bring him together with family that may not have seen him for some time...who knows. We do what we think is right on this funny little website and hope things turn out for the better, much like what we do on this planet.

BBP

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:33:34 -0800

I never questioned anyone's rights. I completely understand the relinquishing of rights to privacy if you're a victim of a public incident, or the right of LAist to publish the photos. Don't need that technicality explained to me, but thanks. Nor am I so stupid to even think that joke about getting the man to sign a release is funny. And I watch the news plenty. It's filled with this kind of exploitative, not-constructive or even-all-that-purposefully-informative kind of stuff. I really like LAist and just wanted to put the question out there, why should this website, usually populated with great information and writing, fall into step with the salacious media mentality that we're all so overexposed to? What is posting these photos hoping to accomplish - or who will it benefit? If you were that guy, how would you feel? Looks like he's had a bad enough day as it is. How would you feel if it were someone you cared about? My feelings about this have nothing to do with technicalities and "rights" and "consent" and "reporting" - I just feel bad for the guy and wonder why - REALLY WHY - this post was created. It just feels so violating toward him and disrespectful of someone who already likely is injured enough. I don't want to start a fight. I just wish people would actually think about this perspective and have a curiosity-fueled discussion, instead of jumping right into defensive mode and being mean to someone who is trying to convey some compassion and decorum about a stranger's dignity, regardless of the medium or state of media today. Thanks, and I really do hope the dude is OK and he doesn't see this post. :o(

Johnny

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:26:28 -0800

As far as I'm concerned the distance in which the photos were taken were within reason to describe the situation. It would have been questionable if the photographer would have gotten closer, zooming in or taking close-ups.

Zach Behrens

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:24:11 -0800

For the record, I would not have published them if he were dead. The LAFD announced this incident to the press and the public as it was happening. When I called the LAFD this morning to see what was happening in these photos, d'Lisa explained to me what a c-spine was and it was something I never knew about, so I shared.

Will Campbell

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:04:41 -0800

I applaud BBP's concern and compassion for the victim's privacy and I'm hoping the man recovers from his injuries be they mental, physical or both, but I'm guessing BBP doesn't read/watch the news much. Or maybe BBP actually believes the photog should've either refrained from taking the picture or jumped down there and made the rescuers wait while coercing the victim into signing a release granting permission? An image doesn't have to be qualified as newsworthy to be publishable, but Shaunski's right about the expectation of privacy: the incident occurred publicly and the photographer has every right to capture the images just as LAist has the right to publish them.

shaunski

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:02:17 -0800

I believe, since this is technically news, than he, being in public, has no expectation of privacy. Only expectation of ribbing from friends about looking dead in a river wash.

BBP

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:55:37 -0800

Eeee. Yikes. It's not the imagery that's disturbing, it's wondering what this poor man would think of these pictures being posted to the Internet in such detail and without his permission. I'm not sure if I can really dig compromising someone's dignity this way.....not sure what the constructive purpose of this post is. It comes off as really salacious, voyeuristic and exploitative of someone's misfortune. Why?