How Far Is Too Far.. ? PB #3

Most everyone could agree that the internet is a wonderful tool for communicating. It is an outlet for sharing ideas and information. Though it has many advantages it can also be utilized in a malicious way. This can be seen in the case of Dayna Kempeson. Dayna got into a terrible accident and when firefighters got to the scene, instead of aiding Dayna, they took footage of her mangled body. The firefighters can be heard saying such things as "Smell like she's been drinking. There is a piece of skull right there on the console" and "I was wondering what that smell was. Hold that down for me. Oh, my God!" The video was eventually uploaded to the internet and spread virally. Dayna's parents received news of the video two months after her tragic accident. You can read the full story here.

This is without a doubt a horrible situation. It is heartbreaking to watch her parents speak about the incident. And it is terrible that a firefighter, someone who's job it is to take care of the public could be so heartless. The real question lies though in why this video circulated so virally. In a digital age it is no surprise that our culture is heavily reliant on sharing news through the web, but where is the line drawn on what is appropriate? Would physical hard copies of these photos have been passed around so freely? And how has our reliance on technology shaped our way of handling a situation? It troubles me that the fireman's first response was to take footage of this dying woman, and that his companion saw nothing wrong with it. We live in a world where it seems that the first response we have to a situation involves updating our Facebook statuses.

Technology can be a wonderful thing, but as with all things discretion needs to be used. Etiquette and moral responsibility should not be tossed aside on the internet. We as citizens need to stop hiding behind our computer screens, and stand up for ethical use of the internet. Sharing information is vital, but there is a line, and it needs to be re-traced.

Photo credit: CNN.com