Since the rise of the Internet, privacy has become outdated, almost a thing of the past. Virtually limitless amounts of information are available to us with the click of a search bar. Popular social networks, most of which can be joined free of charge, allow most anyone to view and access your personal information at their leisure. The once inadmissible user is now in a position of power. Now, this might be a bit over-exaggerated, and we know the only information the public has access to is what we ourselves put up and allow others to see.
A newer development is bringing together technology and criminal justice. St. Petersburg Times, along with a growing trend of other news sources, have started bringing Tampa Bay area mugshots to a searchable website. In its primitive sense, this idea is nothing short to novel. Police Blotters have been around for years, giving the public access to what is going on around them.
The way these criminals are being portrayed, however, is a whole nother story. Digital media brings more emotion and bias into the context than print media could ever do. The site intentionally posts unflattering and unfavorable pictures of these arrested criminals. That doesn’t go to say that I believe all criminals to have pearly white teeth, permed hair, and lush skin. But I do believe that the light you portray people in has a lot to do with how they are perceived and accepted. What about those who are innocent and have yet to be proven guilty? Maybe this is just an optimistic proposition and most cases do not generally end up that way. But for those who are innocent and have been exposed to the public in that light could have their reputations tainted for life.
I am in no way defending criminals, but I do believe in equality. Digital media has a much more substantial effect on how we view certain subjects and topics than does print media, and I think this is an important issue that needs to be taken into consideration when dealing with sensitive issues such as this one. If you would like to read more into the matter and see the article in its full, check out the link below.
I do agree with your statements, but I also feel that media outlets often portray the 'criminals' this way to set an example. Painting these criminals in a negative light with bad pictures and emotional bias demonizes them as humans, which sends the message to others—"Hey, if you do this, this is how we will make you look! Do you want to look this way to the whole world?" The press has the power to manipulate the images of certain individuals, and they will use it to set the example, which is rather unfortunate.
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