Presidential Adviser and Special Aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has urged digital content creators to prioritise ethics and respect for privacy in their work, warning of the real-life consequences of irresponsible content production.
Speaking at a Digital Media Creators Conference in Accra on Thursday, April 30, she highlighted growing concerns about how images and videos are used without consent, sometimes creating false impressions about individuals.
Recounting a personal experience, she revealed how a photograph taken with a stranger was later used in a publication in a misleading way.
“Someone had taken a photograph with me… later on, I found out there was a magazine, an article that the person had actually used that image for to create an impression that did not exist because, genuinely, I did not know this person,” she said.
According to her, such practices reflect a broader ethical challenge within the digital media space, where content is sometimes created or shared without regard for accuracy, consent, or context.
Mogtari stressed that while public figures may be more exposed, they are still entitled to privacy, just like ordinary citizens.
“People have privacy… when we talk about ethics of the digital media, it is about the privacy of the people that you want to have in your videos,” she noted.
She warned that recording or publishing content involving individuals without their knowledge, whether in conversations, social settings, or public spaces, can have serious consequences, including reputational harm and the spread of misinformation.
“Next thing they know, it’s gone viral… it affects many lives, it creates wrong impressions,” she added.
The presidential aide also addressed the tension that sometimes arises between politicians and content creators when ethical boundaries are crossed, noting that formal complaints are often misunderstood as attempts to suppress free speech.
“When they abuse this relationship… you put out a formal complaint… then people call you intolerant or say you are trying to gag them,” she explained.
Despite these concerns, Mogtari acknowledged the positive impact of digital media, particularly in providing real-time information and amplifying voices.
She pointed to recent improvements in crediting original creators, especially photographers, as a step in the right direction.
“In recent times, you’ll find that people pick up these photographs… but they give credit to the photographer… they are also in the business of profiting from their photographs,” she said.
She concluded by urging creators to strike a balance between innovation and responsibility.
“We can create content, yes, but we must also remember to regulate ourselves,” she emphasised.
