The Ethics of Sharing Drone Captured Moments
The ethics involved in the sharing of drone-captured moments come to fore. Such moments are normally uploaded on social media, where through the same, it spreads very fast and obtains much publicity. This is notwithstanding the fact that people featured in such video footage may never have given their consent to being filmed. Questions on privacy and consent take center stage in such considerations once more.
Certain drone shots have been secretly posted, with disregard to those appearing in the films as embarrassed, involved in accidents, or simply not aware that filming was taking place. While it is so easy to make the moment go viral through social media, victims have little control over their posted materials after being caught on camera. This fragile balance of the right to communicate with the right of privacy exists.
Ethically, it is still incumbent upon the drone operators and sharers to think through how their content affects the subjects involved. While it is obvious to find those moments or situations entertaining or funny, maybe they won’t share that viewpoint. Any users of drones for photography or video capture must take these considerations of respect for others’ privacy, seeking consent whenever possible, and not sensationalizing otherwise private moments.
