Minister for Health and Social Development Hon. Vincent Wheatley has urged the public to exercise greater sensitivity when it comes to sharing graphic images and videos of tragic incidents on social media platforms.
He spoke during a recent sitting of the House of Assembly.
Wheatley’s call comes in the wake of a recent drowning incident in Virgin Gorda where videos capturing the tragic scene circulated online. Wheatly stressed that such imagery had the potential to cause further anguish to the victim’s loved ones.
The Minister emphasized the need for empathy and discretion when sensitive visuals are involved. The widespread sharing of such material can deeply compound the trauma for grieving families and communities.
Wheatley’s sentiments echo previous advisories from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) discouraging the recording and dissemination of visuals from emergency scenes with lifeless victims.
In a statement, the RVIPF expressed regret over “the distress and concern these visuals may have caused within the community” while reaffirming efforts to prevent such practices and urging public cooperation.
As the RVIPF noted, law enforcement prioritizes “life preservation, securing areas and conducting thorough investigations” which can be jeopardized by uncooperative bystanders at critical incident scenes.
Social media has enabled information and content to spread rapidly, often before appropriate guardrails are in place. As camera phones have become ubiquitous, the risks of exploiting private tragedies for online engagement or spectacle have escalated.
Minister Wheatley’s call asks residents to hit pause before blindly sharing such material.