Whatever next!!! Wildlife TV infringes animals' privacy, says academic...

[Midas]

I've heard it all now - you'd think that these liberal-minded academic theoreticians would have something better to do! It's one thing to be careful not to upset their habitat when filming, but this is something else......

Wildlife documentaries deny animals their "right to privacy", an academic claimed today.

Producers of nature shows ignore privacy ethics when considering the mechanics of filming, argues Brett Mills, of the University of East Anglia.

BBC show Nature's Great Events - narrated by Sir David Attenborough - was scrutinised in his research.

Dr Mills said: "Human notions of privacy which rest on ideas of location or activity are ignored in terms of animals. It doesn't matter what an animal does, or where it does it, it will be deemed fair game for the documentary."

Dr Mills, who published his study in Continuum: Journal Of Media And Cultural Studies, said: "Perhaps there is an argument for some species, in some circumstances, not to be filmed. At the moment it seems that such arguments are never put forward.

"It might at first seem odd to claim that animals might have a right to privacy. Privacy, as it is commonly understood, is a culturally human concept.

"The key idea is to think about animals in terms of the public/private distinction. We can never really know if animals are giving consent, but they often do engage in forms of behaviour which suggest they'd rather not encounter humans, and we might want to think about equating this with a desire for privacy.

"When confronted with such 'secretive' behaviour, the response of the wildlife documentary is to read it as a challenge to be overcome with the technologies of television. The question constantly posed by wildlife documentaries is how animals should be filmed: they never ask whether animals should be filmed at all."

The full story at : Wildlife TV infringes animals' privacy, says academic - Nature, Environment - The Independent

[Don]

You do realize, do you not, that this animal right to privacy is precisely the cause of the infamous 'duck house' MP expenses scandal. The 'duck house' was merely an attempt to afford the unfortunate birds a bit of privacy whilst they, you know, 'carried on'. Be realistic, do you want all sorts of people watching you while you 'carry on'? I thought not. A wag writing in a blog at the time, me specifically , attempted to characterize them as simply ****ing ducks. I now know better, they are sensitive ****ing ducks, in need of privacy whilst 'carrying on'.

Ps: You may disregard the foregoing when speaking of pornographic ducks as they love the ****ing exposure.

[Midas]

Thanks for putting it all into perspective there Don! I knew deep down that there'd be a rational explanation if you either dug deep enough or thought laterally enough

However I don't think I'll pursue the "...do you want all sorts of people watching you while you 'carry on'" question, at least not with asking a certain other person, who at this stage I'll simply call 'ducky', first!!

[Don]

Thanks for putting it all into perspective there Don! I knew deep down that there'd be a rational explanation if you either dug deep enough or thought laterally enough

That sir is me. I am nothing, if not a lateral thinker.

However I don't think I'll pursue the "...do you want all sorts of people watching you while you 'carry on'" question, at least not with asking a certain other person, who at this stage I'll simply call 'ducky', first!!

I do hope 'ducky' has a house. I'd hate to have to go your bail for 'carrying on' in public. Give 'ducky' my regards.

Ps: Next time someone says; "that's simply ducky" or some derivation of same, just remember my comment and reply; "there's nothing 'simple' about ducks.

[DC]

I completely agree with this, as of course animals hate being spied upon and feel embarrassed when their privacy is infringed. What's more there is absolutely nothing to gain from educating the wider public on nature.



/sarcasm.

[Kiwi 1691]

I've heard it all now - you'd think that these liberal-minded academic theoreticians would have something better to do! It's one thing to be careful not to upset their habitat when filming, but this is something else......

Wildlife documentaries deny animals their "right to privacy", an academic claimed today.

Well con-try to your beliefs animals should be respected Midas.