The AP Deletes A Tweet About The NFT Of An Overcrowded Boat With Migrants
The tweet above has been deleted by the Associated Press after facing criticism for trying to make money on hardships of others. Many of the criticisms pointing out bad timing to drop such NFT due to the current Ukraine-Russia crisis. Until reading about this on Web3isgoingreat, I didn't even know the AP was exploring NFTs. The same day after deleting the tweets the AP tweeted an explanation.
Before the tweet with the photograph that was going to be dropped as NFT, some people were able to screenshot and archive it. Of course screenshots are not the actual NFT, and I doubt original tweet included the high quality photograph anyway.
There will always be those who will criticize actions of media and news company. What I don't understand is, why they had to reevaluate their actions and come to a conclusion of "poor choice of imagery". After all for a company that reports news, publishing photographs of real people in real situations, especially in difficult one, shouldn't be embarrassing. When it comes to NFTs there is money involved. Making money, as long as done in a honest way, shouldn't be a problem. They have the right to earn the money to do their work and support good journalism. There are news sites that charge monthly fee for their content. Nobody complains about that.
I am not suggesting the AP does good journalism. I don't read them. I have no idea. But I know there is a lot of confusion in the world. All and any efforts to support good and honest journalism are welcome.
At the same time it seems to me crypto and in particular NFTs can be a solution to support the future of journalism that can be self-sustaining and doesn't rely on money from interest groups, hence able to do their work and report in an unbiased manner.
News brands like the AP that is recognized worldwide usually do a proper research and planning before they publish and/or announce anything. This makes me think deleting of their announcement of this new NFT drop was political one. Just like many pointed out, bad timing. Why should it be bad timing though? If an action is wrong, wouldn't/shouldn't it be wrong at any time? Especially when it comes to journalistic reporting, even if it is in an NFT form. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong or missing something.
I hope to see emergence honest and decent journalistic efforts in the future that is supported and powered by web3, cryptos, and NFTs. It is also good to see global news organization like the AP experimenting with NFTs. They have started their NFT market place just recently at the end of January. At first glance, it looks like purchasing and trading AP NFTs is only available on their APmarket platform. Currently, AP NFTs are cannot be transferred or traded to other platforms. There are also restrictions what owners of NFTs can or cannot do with the NFTs.
What are my rights as the owner of an AP Marketplace NFT?
- You may display your photograph for personal use including on your personal social media accounts.
- You may resell your NFT through the AP Marketplace.
- You may use unlockable content for personal use and display, however if you resell your photo, you must delete all unlockable content from all your devices and destroy any prints made using unlockable content.
- You may not create derivative work or use the AP image to sell a product.
- You do not receive copyright to the AP photojournalism. Copyright always remains with the photojournalist and the AP.
This NFT endeavor is new to AP and many. It ok to have restrictions while experimenting with new ideas and avenues to fund their work, journalists, photographers. There is no one answer, there is one good way of doing things. By experimenting we learn, and improve and hopefully come up with system that actually work better. Feel free to visit their NFT platform explore more what they are trying to do.
Their NFTs are currently only sold on the AP Marketplace. They are minted on the Polygon blockchain. They say part of the profits they make go the photographers. I was trying to find if there was a royalty for the photographers to earn every time NFTs changed owners. I couldn't find yet. Maybe they will/can implement something like that as well.
What do you think about news media companies or any other companies or organization getting into NFTs and monetizing the digital assets they may already work with as part of conducting their normal business? Let me know in the comments.
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This is a tough one. On the one hand, AP is a very old, respected news wire service, and I would want for them to be able to continue their work. They stated that the NFT's were not for profit.
On the other hand, there is a real ethical issue at stake here. The photo in question shows migrants overcrowded on a lifeboat. That is definitely a news photo. It is significant for people to see what is happening -- how others are suffering -- so that we can understand and maybe even help in some way.
However, should that photo be turned into a piece of art for people to display, own, buy, sell, and possibly profit from on a secondary market? I imagine that it is myself or a loved one on that crowded boat -- that was probably one of the worst times in those people's lives -- so frightening.
Would I want the image of my terrified self and those who were my buddies that day to be bought and sold as art?
I think not.
I believe the AP needs to be very selective about which NFT's it chooses to mint and sell. For example, a photo of a president shaking hands with another president would be okay I think. They are both public figures, and buying and selling such an image ... I cannot see how this would be a major ethical issue.
I think the AP made an error in judgment here. The photo has artistic merit as taken, and I think they focused on that rather than on the suffering humans actually in the photo.
Can you imagine someone snapping a photo of you in your worst moment and then selling it and people buying and selling it as art? It seems like some weird, futuristic, Draconian rabbit hole in my opinion.
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First you changed my mind, but then my mind changed back. You do bring up good points.
But I am looking at their NFTs as part of the news work. And having in NFT format may drive more attention to problems. Trading aspect of NFTs would serve as funding support the work and effort. Moreover, they may designated portion of the proceeds to causes that help people in hardships.
I would rather see a standard and fair treatment for all photographs, rather than making an arbitrary decision and self-censorship.
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That is absolutely true because you cannot satisfy everybody with also the fact that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion in a particular issue so criticism will definitely occur
Great work @geekgirl, weldone.
Anyting on Web 3.0 can be tokenized, but we are human and we have emotions. Creating a NFT from people's or animals' adversity is immoral.
I think this mentality would also have created a NFT from "The Struggling Girl" of Kevin Carter.
I think the news organizations are trying to make more money. I have noticed that there are less people tuning into them and more people looking into independent sources of news. Their userbase is dropping and there are only so many things they can do.
As for their restrictions, I have a feeling they can't enforce anything. Just save the jpeg file and do what you want on some other platform to sell. There just isn't any way they can safeguard things.
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I read some articles saying that more and more people aren't watching mainstream news.
I believe that is true. People like Joe Rogan get way more views than the mainstream news networks so they are definitely losing control.
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But what has nft got to do with the Ukraine issues? And besides I think the media companies should be included it might hasten the sales of nfts
pictures of historical events, even bad events are a piece of human history. Censorship and canceling of pictures is the effort to erase history.
Wow, I agree. I saw the Tweet only here, and I thought perhaps this might be in bad taste. But after reading what you wrote here, and reflecting on your points I agree that their work is worthy of commemoration and perhaps the events themselves should be commemorated to remind us all of the continued struggle of humanity for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Thank you
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I think flipping a picture of a crowded refugee boat is just stupid. Rather spend the money on aiding the refugees or flip something else.
Spending money for a good cause would be a good move.
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I say it isn't AP's job to try and decide what people can see or what is in good taste or not. Aren't reporter supposed to report things.. even if those things may not be in 'good taste'.. according to who??
It says in the tweet AP is not for profit. I would hope that this means the money goes to the photographer, to help fund good reporting, and to help any good cause associated with the image. In particular, if it meets all three criteria, I think it's ok...
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I am 100% agree with you, because every human being has ability to decide for themselves. they want to use it as medium of making money.
It's a very complicated matter for sure. It kind of reminds me of the situation around this picture:
Source
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Other than the points u mentioned and and others in points, it truely shows the potential of NFTs. They can really make money from it. What they do with that money will then be a ethical debate.
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