Abstract
This article addresses the phenomenon of mobile bystanders who use their smartphones to film or take photographs at accident scenes, instead of offering their help to people in need or to assist medical units. This phenomenon has been extensively discussed in Swedish news media in recent years since it has been described as a growing problem for first responders, such as paramedics, police, and firefighters. This article aims to identify theoretical perspectives that are relevant for analyzing mobile media practices and discuss the ethical implications of these perspectives. Our purpose is twofold: we want to develop a theoretical framework for critically approaching mobile media practices, and we want to contribute to discussions concerning well-being in a time marked by mediatization and digitalization. In this pursuit, we combine theory from social psychology about how people behave at traumatic scenes with discussions about witnessing in and through media, as developed in media and communication studies. Both perspectives offer various implications for normative inquiry, and in our discussion, we argue that mobile bystanders must be considered simultaneously as transgressors of social norms and as emphatic witnesses behaving in accordance with the digital media age. The article ends with a discussion regarding the implications for further research.
Highlights
In the summer of 2015, Swedish news media reported how witnesses at accident sites used their smartphones to film the situation, instead of offering help
We combine theory from social psychology regarding how people behave at traumatic scenes, with discussions about witnessing in and through the media, as developed in media and communication studies. Both perspectives offer various implications for normative inquiry, and in our discussion, we argue that mobile bystanders must be considered simultaneously as transgressors of social norms and as emphatic witnesses who are behaving in accordance with the digital media age
The aim of this article has been to elaborate upon theoretical perspectives relevant for analyzing mobile media practices in extra-ordinary events, such as traffic accidents, in a time when communication has become part of a mobile lifestyle
Summary
In the summer of 2015, Swedish news media reported how witnesses at accident sites used their smartphones to film the situation, instead of offering help. By late summer 2015, it had become a point of reference for public debates about media ethics, moral courage, as well as working conditions for first responders. The reports on these “mobile bystanders” were soon followed by a debate where different stakeholders (first responders, journalists, politicians, experts) gave their view on the phenomenon. While this debate included various positions and perspectives, there was one perspective shared by most commentators: that the behavior was morally deplorable. The extensive media reporting proved that it was a widespread phenomenon
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