Video raises ‘what would you do’ questions

Within hours April 16, a video uploaded to Facebook spread like wildfire. It showed the random, heinous killing of a Cleveland man as he walked home after eating Easter dinner with his family . ...

The horrifying event also served as a reminder for traditional media outlets about balancing the need to disseminate information to the public with any harm that information might cause. The Society of Professional Journalists, for example, used the tragedy to point journalists to a section of its Code of Ethics about minimizing harm, which states, in part, that “Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness.” It calls for showing “compassion for those who may be affected by news coverage” and advises against “pandering to lurid curiosity, even if others do.”

In today’s world, such guidelines are important not only for media members but for all of us.

If you came across video or screenshots of a situation like Godwin’s killing Sunday on social media, would you hit the “share” button? Would you consider the pain and agony it might cause others, including family members and friends of the victim, who unwittingly could receive the information?

Would you take time to alert law enforcement? Would you be careful to share on social media only information that could be helpful to police in their search for Stephens, like a physical description and photos of the vehicle he was driving? Would you treat reports about Stephens and his possible whereabouts with a degree of skepticism, so as not to harm others unintentionally? ...

As users of social media, it’s important to remember there are consequences to our actions online. In other words, think before you share.