Why consent within communication?
In inclusive communication, we do not speak about the people we work with, but we aim to share their stories and opinions. Any attempt to share these stories as accurately as possible includes getting consent for representing people and sharing their personal information. In consent procedures precautions are necessary, as these procedures raise some structural, ethical challenges. Consent, for instance, often involves cultural or linguistic barriers; they can be problematized by dependency and power imbalances, and (particularly in the case of the representation of children) it can be hard to raise full awareness of the consequences that participation may have.
What will we discuss?
Asking permission to interview someone is already a common practice. But how do we do this when someone takes a picture or shoots a video of larger groups of people? How do we make sure that the content producer has asked for permission? Also, is it clear what the person gives permission for, and for how long? How do we check whether the end-product meets the expectations of the people involved? And how do we make sure that any consent procedure fully acknowledges the participants’ position, conviction, and interests?
A short outline of the programme
- As usual, it will be an interactive session. Wouter Oomen and Emiel Martens will give an introduction and share their views on the most important topics, such as how consent can be part of co-creation.
- Emiel Martens will also share his experiences as a video maker.
Annette Scarpitta, an independent consultant, co-director and U.S. representative for The Rwenena Project in Congo, will share her experience. - Jennifer Huang will discuss how she copes with consent in filming about trafficking. She has made a documentary that starts where most movies end: After the Rescue. She has followed up on these girls and women for over 6 years in their pursuit of happiness.
- After that, there will be plenty of time to discuss the topic.