• by jen , February 27, 2009

Tuesday night, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, professor of communications and director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania addressed Ball State students and faculty concerning “Emerging Media and the Path to the Oval Office.” During her address Jamieson argued that the 2008 election and preceding campaign illustrated the eradication of private space for politicians. There are no longer “off the record” moments for candidates and public figures as a result of emerging media. Digital technologies have empowered average citizens with the “carrying capacity,” as Jamieson coins, to capture audio, pictures and even video, which can be disseminated to the public within hours, even minutes. The uproar over Obama’s statement about “bitter” Pennsylvanians clinging “to guns or religion” clearly evidences this phenomenon. A comment he believed to be made behind closed doors quickly became public knowledge and an impediment for his political campaign.

Ethically, I wonder, should politicians lose the right to their private space? Was Uncle Ben right when he told Peter, “with great power comes great responsibility”? If so, does this only apply to politicians? If emerging media is empowering ordinary citizens with the capability to take journalism into our own hands, what responsibilities accompany this power? As we open up Pandora’s box of emerging media, we have to consider the implications of these new capabilities and our own responsibility.

Often I hear people claim that this invasion of privacy (as we “ordinary” citizens would call it) is the price of fame for celebrities. This “price of fame” mentality presumes that people choose to be famous. So I ask, how many of us chose what we’re good at and if we succeed? Actors and actresses, good ones at least, have a gift that they use to make a living just like the rest of us. The same could be argued for politicians. Is this a choice? I digress…

If this invasion of privacy is deserved, politicians seem to merit greater intrusion because they have the potential of greatly affecting our lives through policy, spending and their general decision making. As such, we believe we have a right to know what they’re doing at all times because all of their actions are relevant, right? Because politicians are classically known as deceptive and evasive, we feel entitled to investigate all areas of their lives to acquaint ourselves with the man (or woman) behind the mask. Their actions, whether in public or private space, speak to their character, and as we all learned in grade school, character counts. Is that why we support limiting or eliminating the private space of our public figures?

It seems Obama has supported this movement toward exposing the government’s private sphere with his Transparency and Open Government memorandum, for the sake of fostering accountability between the government and its people. Without advancing a fallacious hypothetical, where do we draw the line? When you become famous or a political figure do you forfeit your constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy? It should be noted – I realize Obama’s statement about Pennsylvanians would not be considered private because he was attending a political fundraiser. Nonetheless, the capabilities granted to us through emerging media and the ensuing consequences bring this issue to the forefront.

This leads me to a more personally relevant question - How is emerging media encroaching upon our private space?

Two factors make me fear digital technology, specifically when considering the functionality of smartphones. Fortunately, being the Head of State is not one of my concerns.

First, I fear the expectations placed on me by others. If my colleagues know that I have access to my email 24/7, will I be expected to expand my availability respectively? Is it acceptable just to turn off and tune out?

Secondly, I fear my own lack of self-restraint. Guaranteed, if I have access to the internet, I’m on it. It’s a compulsion and routine. If emails are constantly bombarding my phone (this is hypothetical of course) how do I decipher between personal and work related emails? If I can’t I’ll end up checking them all. There will be no escape!

So I ask – How do you manage to keep your private space? What does this look like for you? What rules do you set to guard yourself?

More on Jamieson’s speech to come…