[Foundation-l] NPOV as common value? (was Re: Board statement regarding biographies of living people)

[Andre Engels]

On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 6:57 PM, Anthony <wikimail at inbox.org> wrote:

> Here's the NPPA Code of ethics:
>
>   1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
>   2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
>   3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording
>   subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to
>   avoid presenting one's own biases in the work.
>   4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special
>   consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or
>   tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an
>   overriding and justifiable need to see.
>   5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to,
>   alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
>   6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images'
>   content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any
>   way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
>   7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for
>   information or participation.
>   8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek
>   to influence coverage.
>   9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.
>
> 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8 all deal with neutrality.  Should they apply to
> photos made for commons?

I think most of these do not really apply for Commons. They are mostly
based on the situation of journalists making pictures about some
specific event. On Commons, even if you are at a specific event, many
of the pictures may say little or nothing about the event, but still
be useful pictures because of what they DO depict. Our 'subject' can
easily shift this way or that, making rules 1 and 3 mostly vacuous.
Going through the list:

>   1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.

Since for many pictures the subject is what happens to be represented
on the photograph, this is mostly vacuous. As an example, a journalist
going to a protest march of 1000 people among which 10 are typical
punks, would be breaking this rule if he made half the photographs he
made of the protesters of those 10. A Commons photographer would just
have to call them photographs of punks rather than photographs of that
typical protest, and all would be fine.

>   2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.

Staged photo opportunities are little good for journalism, but they
are good for getting portrait-like photographs. Journalists are not
very interested in those, we are.

>   3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording
>   subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to
>   avoid presenting one's own biases in the work.

The first half to me seems hard when we get to the level of single
photographs, which is on Commons how the work usually goes. The second
part could well be a good rule, though at the same time when going to
single photographs it is too restrictive - should every picture of a
drinking Irishman be forbidden? I don't think so.

>   4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special
>   consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or
>   tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an
>   overriding and justifiable need to see.

A good rule, but not related to neutrality. And one that Commons
photographers are much less in a position to break than real
journalists anyway.

>   5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to,
>   alter, or seek to alter or influence events.

Again a rule that is good for photo journalism, but not for general
photography. If I want a picture of a dog swimming, I throw a stick in
the water when my brother's dog is near. But even in citizen
journalism, this is not a good rule like it is in professional
journalism - getting the 'inside view' is interesting. I would not
want the rule "Do not contribute photographs you made during events in
which you were involved yourself" - which is more or less the same
rule.

>   6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images'
>   content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any
>   way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.

Now, this one I can agree with. Any editing beyond the trivial should
be made clear to the viewers.

>   7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for
>   information or participation.

I don't think any Commons photographers would do so, being volunteers
themselves, but where they do, they might well have good reason.

>   8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek
>   to influence coverage.

Not applicable.

>   9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

Of course not, but has nothing to do with neutrality.

-- 
André Engels, andreengels at gmail.com