READERS HAVE THEIR SAY

Last Friday, I invited you to be a judge in the case of a young woman who was photographed by a Nation photojournalist on February 14, 2014 while undergoing an Alcoblow test on Muthithi Road, Westlands, in Nairobi.

We called her Miss Soba to hide her identity. Although she tested negative, the Nation has since continued to use the photo, without her consent, to illustrate anti-drink driving stories.

She complains that her privacy rights are being violated and demands that the photo should be removed from the stories and deleted from the Nation database to ensure it is not used again.

Every one of you who responded says the photo should have been removed “like yesterday”. Below is a sampling of your views.

Pull down photo immediately

In my view, Miss Soba’s right to privacy has been violated, and NMG should cease using her photo.

She gave details of her innocence, and was not okay with you using her photo even for illustration purposes. You’ve caused her distress for years. NMG should apologise to her.

— 0712 276 XXX

* * *

Miss Soba’s photo should have been removed yesterday. A picture can say a thousand words and a majority of Kenyan readers think and interpret words negatively.

You can imagine the extent of damage the photo has caused to her decency, not to mention her personality.

The continued use of the photo is detrimental compared to what it is supposed to depict.

— John Maina Thuo, Nairobi

* * *

Yes, delete Miss Soba’s photo from the Nation database. She was never arrested anyway.

— Patricia

* * *

I believe that if someone has said they don’t want their photo published for any reason and especially for privacy, respect their wish if it does not hurt your story by not including the photo.

In the first instance, where the photographer is illustrating a story about the police and NTSA breathalysing motorists, the use of the photo is justifiable.

But continuing to use it in unrelated stories even after she has expressed that she feels violated is unethical and immoral.

— Njuki Mate

* * *

I do not see the reason why the editors should continue using Miss Soba’s photo long after it was taken.

There are a lot of pictures from the internet which can be used to illustrate articles without having to use those bearing people’s images.

To make the matter worse, Miss Soba’s photo was used after a period of five years.

However, since it was not used for promotional or branding purposes, let her not take the matter to court. Amicably, the Nation should just pull down the photo.

— Samuel N. Ndisya

* * *

One’s privacy and dignity must be respected. But many people, just like Miss soba, wake up one morning to find their images trending and their photos attached to mad stories of nowadays’ memes. This may cause psychological trauma.

Furthermore, some people just don’t like even one second of publicity; they just want to stay private.

If this is what Miss Soba wants, then Nation has no other option but to pull down her photos from all its platforms.

This whole episode should be a lesson to journalists who carelessly take photos of people and make stories using their images without their consent. I feel that Miss Soba’s right to privacy has been violated.

— Mike Karanja

* * *

Prof Makau, give us facts

Prof Makau Mutua column, “Where Facts Matter”, should be renamed “DP Ruto’s Episodes” because it seems he has no other matter to discuss apart from the Deputy President.

Suffice it to say that the Sunday Nation has a wide circulation and not all readers are interested in political verbiage.

With a great wealth of knowledge and experience, coupled with a golden opportunity to write in such a medium as Sunday Nation, Prof Makau should feed us with a better and wide range of information instead of focusing on one individual (Dr William Ruto).

— Moses Mutembei, Nairobi

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Corrections point to laziness

The Nation has of late taken prompt action in correcting mistakes, which is commendable. However, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of corrections.

What is worrying is the nature of corrections that point to pure laziness in checking the facts on the part of the editor.

— Kabia Wanjohi, Ruiru

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Beautification of letters page

I cannot fail to take note that our letters page now has a new look. Whereas previously we had no room for photos, starting from the last few days, a beautiful photo of mostly a woman has been appearing.

In the Daily Nation of August 30, we also have the Cabinet minister with the smallest body frame, John Mucheru, sitting in the page, besides the beautiful woman.

I can clearly see that our page has now shrunk and become more competitive for writers.

I think I have to accept the new layout and keep on trying to get published.

— Githuku Mungai, Kiambu

Send your complaints to [email protected]. Call or text 0721 989 264