Today, DeMario Jackson breaks his silence regarding the infamous "Bachelor in Paradise" scandal which dragged his name and his co-star Corinne Olympios into a chaotic mess. The press has feasted on the controversy and capitalized on their privilege of delivering breaking news. However, this action caused direct violations to the privacy of those involved.
What went wrong?
Note that prior to Jackson's implied confession that he is the one being referred in the recent media frenzy and Olympios hiring of top attorneys to pursue her side, only one thing has been confirmed.
That is the one vague statement from Warner Bros. stating their knowledge of the allegations of misconduct on the set of "Bachelor in Paradise" in Mexico.
Without keeping facts in check, several Media Outlets began plastering the names and photos of the accused to the internet amid the lack of substantial proof to support their claims.
"Now This" took the initiative to trace the origin of this intel. Based on previous write ups and videos, it all came from a film writer named Amy Kaufman. Kaufman is currently writing a book about the "Bachelor." Later on, she began tweeting about the forthcoming cancellation of the show and continued on a tweeting spree spoiling the situation of two contestants.
She did not stop there and eventually dropped the bomb revealing the names of those involved and the photo was born.
I just spoke to a source who says he knows why "Bachelor in Paradise" was just cancelled. Here we go:
— Amy Kaufman (@AmyKinLA) June 11, 2017
'Now This': It's not okay!
According to their video posted on Facebook, "Now This" explains that what triggered the majority of the media which exclusively covered the controversy is their freedom known as "The First Amendment." The lack of laws to keep the press in check may have fueled them to publish about the sensitive topic over and over again.
On the other hand, the press has a code of ethics to follow. And one of those important ethics they should follow is to avoid revealing the identity of alleged victim of sex crimes unless the victims speak for themselves.
And back with the "Bachelor in Paradise" scandal, "Now This" noted that when the media chose clickbait over ethics and decided to publish the allegations based on one person's tweet it has stirred the entire nation in devastating divisiveness.
Either one side starts slut shaming the woman or the other side vilifies him. But whatever transpired in the shooting of "Bachelor in Paradise," nothing warrants either sex without consent or convicting someone without even a single case being filed to the court.
For the grace of example, the report raises the issue of the Stanford rape victim whose identity has never been revealed. Her name has never been revealed not because the media could not have her name but because they have been grounded by the ethical rule and the agreed to grant that woman her privacy.
In the end, journalists should remember that ethics are more important than ever, "Now This" quipped.
