When We Will Actually "Be There": Exploring Ethical Guidelines for Immersive Media in Pakistan

The comeback of Immersive media technologies after being sidelined in the 1980’s has certainly mesmerized the world. It has made its way into all fields alike, but Immersive Journalism is a center of focus for many. So far, many news agencies and channels around the world have already started immersive journalism including New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, Reuters, Vice News, the Guardian, Al Jazeera and El País etc. Although Immersive Journalism has not started in Pakistan yet, bringing news story to the audience “as if they were there” is the next milestone which will soon be achieved by the New Media and journalism Industry of Pakistan as well. The point to ponder for Pakistani media researchers is how our already “struggling to survive” ethical guidelines for visual journalism, will adapt to a framework which may be able to guide journalists and VR content producers about the implications of using content with an increased level of immersion. Truth telling may be made stronger by generating emotional empathy but what about the consequences of spawning fabricated news content and stories which will make the audience believe anything. Working on ethical framework for Immersive journalism is vital for maintaining a balance between technological adaptation and human sanity. The research looks at existing ethical guidelines for editors and journalists in Pakistan along with reviewing the literature being produced internationally on immersive Journalism ethics in light of deontological approach theory and proposes recommendations for production and regulation of such content so we can welcome technology and enjoy the benefits with responsibility.