Teacher in YouTube controversy
LOCAL VIEWPOINT
Khaldoun Al-Saeedan
Al-Riyadh
Al-Riyadh
When he posted a video clip on YouTube, Abdullah, a teacher from Sabya in Jazan, never imagined that it would go viral, sparking public criticism. The video clip, showing one of his students crying and begging for mercy while being disciplined, virtually made the teacher a criminal in the eyes of the public and the media. There were accusations that he was a teacher who neither had a kind heart nor knowledge of how to behave compassionately with an orphan boy.
Video clips posted on YouTube often turn into evidence used to convict those who created them. The accused are never given the chance to defend themselves. Abdullah, who used the best means of technology to deliver what he thought was the proper form of punishment, did not know that what he was doing was a punishable offense, and that his attempt to discipline the young boy was considered wrong by all modern theories of education.
We regularly hear from official channels and mosque pulpits about the need to be careful in our use of social networking sites and about the significant social damage that they can cause. The penal action taken against Abdullah may be considered unfair from a legal standpoint. However, it is clear that punishment must be taken against those who upload video clips that may offend others. The absence of a deterrent to uploaded objectionable clips on social networking sites will only lead to more chaos. Ignoring offensive videos will only encourage those posting them to continue to do so.
The regulations recently approved by the Council of Ministers to regulate the moral content of all print and electronic media must be followed by concrete steps on the part of the concerned authorities. There should be explicit penal actions taken against those who upload video clips that contain material which is offensive, not only to individuals but to society as a whole.
Video clips posted on YouTube often turn into evidence used to convict those who created them. The accused are never given the chance to defend themselves. Abdullah, who used the best means of technology to deliver what he thought was the proper form of punishment, did not know that what he was doing was a punishable offense, and that his attempt to discipline the young boy was considered wrong by all modern theories of education.
We regularly hear from official channels and mosque pulpits about the need to be careful in our use of social networking sites and about the significant social damage that they can cause. The penal action taken against Abdullah may be considered unfair from a legal standpoint. However, it is clear that punishment must be taken against those who upload video clips that may offend others. The absence of a deterrent to uploaded objectionable clips on social networking sites will only lead to more chaos. Ignoring offensive videos will only encourage those posting them to continue to do so.
The regulations recently approved by the Council of Ministers to regulate the moral content of all print and electronic media must be followed by concrete steps on the part of the concerned authorities. There should be explicit penal actions taken against those who upload video clips that contain material which is offensive, not only to individuals but to society as a whole.
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