Digital Platforms, Privacy, and the Ethics of Wildlife Information Sharing

Digital platforms allow wildlife enthusiasts to share information with larger audiences than ever before. However, by heightening awareness and human interaction, they can threaten the well-being of non-human animals (henceforth “animals”). One example of this is increased stress to Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus) from close observation by large numbers of people made possible by accurate, timely, and widely-distributed location information. In this paper, we examine the ethics of animal privacy, wildlife observation, and information sharing on digital platforms, using Snowy Owls as a case study. We begin by reviewing Snowy Owl migration and population statistics, trends in information sharing about and observation of Snowy Owls, and resulting harms to Snowy Owls. We then argue that animals have morally weighty privacy interests that ground human obligations to protect their privacy. These obligations are strengthened by additional concerns about species protection and ecological conservation. Our arguments support an array of privacy protections, including obligations on the part of wildlife observers, researchers, and other groups. However, because the catalyst for this paper is novel information technologies, we make a focused set of recommendations applicable to digital platforms. Specifically, we argue that platforms ought to restrict public information sharing when disclosure is likely to endanger individual animals, species, or ecosystems.