The Importance Of Gatekeeping In Communication

When I think of the word gatekeeping, what it comes to my mind is a person who works guarding a gate which has the responsibility of letting people in and out of the gate. I believe this analogy works the same when we talk about gatekeeping relating to ethical communication.

According to Neher and Sandin (2007) described that “The theory highlights the gatekeeping and framing functions managers of the media exercise in deciding what events and topics will be brought to the attention of the public” (p. 303). Gatekeeping, in the media, has the duty to inform the news to the public, and at the same time, he or she is the one who considered what to show to the public and what not to. Consequently, dilemmas such as what is appropriate for the public

For instance, Neher and Sandin (2007) said that “The Computer Ethics Institute, a Project of the Brookings Institution, established such a code of ethics that apply to communication technology. Being called the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics” (p. 300). In my opinion, all the commandments have a significant importance, but for me, three of them stand out from the

2007, p. 301). We can see in this sentence how the words USE and HARM are used to make a powerful statement. The importance of these words has a significant relationship with Technology Communication because nowadays, we use computers as a way to communicate with people. For instance, we use computers when we send or read emails, or when we use social media websites like Facebook to communicate with friends and family. Now, the responsibilities that imply on how we use computers is a dilemma or concern for a lot of people. The harm we can cause to people through this way of communication can be a catastrophe. Since every time we chat or read emails, we do not have a face to face contact with the other people. People can find a way to harm others. For instance, they can send emails or post false statements about a person only with the purpose to ruin the reputation of others. A problem like this can be irrelevant for others, but for some people can be a cause of depression and possible a psychological illness. The way on how people use computers has to be an important matter for individuals and organizations in