Social control and the institutionalization of human rights as an ethical framework for media and ICT corporations

Pages275-289
Date13 August 2018
Published date13 August 2018
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-02-2018-0018
AuthorKatharine Sarikakis,Izabela Korbiel,Wagner Piassaroli Mantovaneli
Subject MatterInformation & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information & communications technology
Social control and the
institutionalization of human
rights as an ethical framework for
media and ICT corporations
Katharine Sarikakis,Izabela Korbiel and
Wagner Piassaroli Mantovaneli
Department of Communication,
Universität Wien Institut für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft,
Wien, Austria
Abstract
Purpose This paper is concerned with the place of human rights in the process of technological
development butspecically as this process is situated within the corporate-technologicalcomplex of modern
digital communicationsand their derivatives. This paper aims to argue that expecting and institutionalizing
the incorporation of human rights in the process of technological innovation and production, particularly in
the context of global economicactors, constitutes a necessary act if we want to navigate the immediatefuture
of articialintelligence and ubiquitous connectivityin ways that protect democracy and humandignity.
Design/methodology/approach The discussion presents the case for defending human rights
through a social control perspective, which assumes the conscious quest for impacting change and
cartographing a path of actions and intentions. The authors approach the problem from James Ralph
Benigers theoryof the Control Revolution (1986) to explainthe emergence of a new social order and to outline
the main challenges brought particularly by media and information and communication technology (ICT)
corporationsas global actors of power.
Findings Ethics initiatives, considering human rights as an ethical framework for media and ICT businesses,
can be based on social control perspectives to regard the more complex variables interacting in the formation of
effective policy making. It is the right to participate in the construction of knowledge in society and, informed by
this knowledge, help manage or control democratic issues, including inuencing on the regulation of technology
and other cultural formats of control (Altheide, 1995). Knowing social control tools enable citizens to lead their
destinies, plan their freedom and the change what they wish in the societies they live in.
Originality/value Social controlis often understood as a term taken for grantedand many times faced as
representing malignantand anti-democratic forms. Here, the authors try to build a theoretical ground where
both sides the benign and the malignant can be takenin consideration to bring awareness to the need to
discuss social controlas a democratic endeavor,and consider human rights as part of this and not something
apart and idealized.The practice of human rights is directly associated withsocial control forms and is from
within thesepractices individuals must understandits role on social control and act.
Keywords Human rights, Communication technologies, Information society, Social control,
Media ethics
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
This paper is concerned with the place of human rights in the process of technological
development in general, but specically as this process is situated within the corporate-
technological complex of modern digital communications and their derivatives. The paper
Ethical
framework for
media
275
Received27 February 2018
Revised7 June 2018
Accepted7 June 2018
Journalof Information,
Communicationand Ethics in
Society
Vol.16 No. 3, 2018
pp. 275-289
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1477-996X
DOI 10.1108/JICES-02-2018-0018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/1477-996X.htm

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