Question

Traffic jams develop in a city’s centre after police close a road because a man on the top floor of a public car park is threatening to jump onto the road. A few hours later a pen drive is delivered anonymously to your doorstep. The pen drive is a copy of dramatic footage from the City Council’s CCTV cameras, showing how police officers approached the man in the car park as he sat on a balcony. The clear footage shows, in close-up, the man weeping as he talked to a policewoman, and how — after she bravely grabbed him as he seemed about to jump — she managed to restrain him until her colleagues rushed to her aid. You know that this rescued man, who has not been named by police, has since been taken to a secure mental hospital. Police say he will not be charged with any offence.

Will you show this footage immediately on your Facebook wall and WhatsApp status? How will your answer be affected by

a) the law concerning Copyright b) the law pertaining to Privacy

Answer 1

No, I cannot show it on any social media or instant messaging app because of police has also not put charge since the man is mentally ill.

There are other implications which also affects such as;

A) The law concerning copyright – Since the country’s law protects original work of authorship hence without permission from the relevant owner it cannot be shared on social media or instant messaging app however with due permission it can be produced in court.

B) The law pertaining to privacy – This law states that the personal information held by any federal government authority prevents such disclosure to public, however individual’s has right to review on request basis.