Journalism, revolutionary technologies and preventing future harm: Proposing the flaming torch media ethics theory and the ten tenets field guide for responsible and ethical communication on science and technology’s cutting edge

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dc.contributor.advisorGeffen, Nathanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorvan Rooyen, Renier Stephanusen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
dc.date.accessioned2022-10-28T13:41:58Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-16T12:41:30Z
dc.date.available2022-10-28T13:41:58Z
dc.date.available2023-01-16T12:41:30Z
dc.date.issued2022-12
dc.descriptionThesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Revolutionary emerging technologies and new scientific discoveries can radically enhance human lives and capabilities, but can also disrupt and harm society – especially if they challenge prevailing world views, established ways of doing things or core human beliefs. And yet, no simple, practical field guide exists for how people, especially science journalists and communicators, ought to talk about technologies and discoveries responsibly so as to limit fear, misinformation and harmful disruption. This study proposes the novel Flaming Torch Media Ethics Theory and its underlying Ten Tenets as the basis for a useful field guide for more responsible, ethical communication of revolutionary technologies and discoveries in the public sphere. A literature review, on key lessons taken from three historical case studies of mass communication efforts relating to the theory of evolution, climate change and nuclear energy, informed the draft version of the theory and its tenets. The theory was then presented, in a set of in-depth interviews, to nine experts from three current emerging technologies – Bitcoin/blockchain, artificial intelligence and human gene editing – to refine the theory and to assess its usefulness. The resulting theory, and the simplified field guide, are presented here. A chief aim was to create a field guide simple enough to be fit for the era of social media, where there is very little control over who communicates what new science or technology to which audience.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Revolusionere ontluikende tegnologiee en nuwe wetenskaplike ontdekkings kan menselewens en menslike vermoens dramaties verbeter en verbreed, maar dit kan ook uiters ontwrigtende en skadelike gevolge op die samelewing he – veral as dit aanvaarde wereldperspektiewe, handelswyses of kern-geloofsoortuigings uitdaag. Tog bestaan daar tans geen eenvoudige, praktiese veldgids vir hoe mense, en veral wetenskapjoernaliste en -kommunikeerders, verantwoordelik oor tegnologiee en ontdekkings behoort te praat sodat vrees, wanpersepsies en skadelike ontwrigting verhoed word. Hierdie studie stel bekend die Vlammende Fakkel Media Etiese Teorie en onderliggende Tien Beginsels as die basis vir ’n bruikbare veldgids vir meer verantwoordelike, etiese kommunikasie van revolusionere tegnologiee en ontdekkings in die publieke sfeer. ’n Literatuurstudie, oor sleutel lesse uit drie historiese gevallestudies van die massakommunikasiepogings rondom evolusie, klimaatsverandering en kernkrag, het die konsep van die teorie en sy beginsels ingelig. Die teorie is hierna, in ’n stel in-diepte onderhoude, aan nege kundiges vanuit drie huidige ontluikende tegnologievelde – Bitcoin/blockchain, kunsmatige intelligensie (AI) en mensegeen-redigering – voorgele om die teorie te verfyn en die nuttigheid daarvan te toets. Die gevolglike teorie, en die vereenvoudigde veldgids as ’n uitkoms, word hier voorgele vir oorweging. ’n Sleutel-doelwit was om ’n veldgids te skep wat eenvoudig genoeg is om toepaslik te wees in die era van sosiale media, waar daar bitter min beheer is oor wie watter wetenskap of tegnologie aan watter gehoor kommunikeer.af_ZA
dc.description.versionDoctoralen_ZA
dc.format.extent181 pages : illustrationsen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125924
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectTechnological innovationsen_ZA
dc.subjectScience journalismen_ZA
dc.subjectCommunication in scienceen_ZA
dc.subjectJournalistic ethicsen_ZA
dc.subjectSocial mediaen_ZA
dc.subjectClimatic changesen_ZA
dc.subjectMass media -- Moral and ethical aspectsen_ZA
dc.subjectNuclear energyen_ZA
dc.subjectEvolutionen_ZA
dc.subjectArtificial intelligenceen_ZA
dc.subjectGene editingen_ZA
dc.subjectCryptocurrenciesen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.titleJournalism, revolutionary technologies and preventing future harm: Proposing the flaming torch media ethics theory and the ten tenets field guide for responsible and ethical communication on science and technology’s cutting edgeen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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