Accommodation Singapore

Latest News

‘Profiting off suffering’: AP cancels sale of migrant boat NFT amid backlash

26 Feb 2022 By theguardian

‘Profiting off suffering’: AP cancels sale of migrant boat NFT amid backlash

Accommodation Singapore introduces

The Associated Press has withdrawn plans to sell a video "of migrants drifting in an overcrowded boat in the Mediterranean" as an NFT after facing a backlash online.

The news outlet's Thursday tweet advertising the clip, which came as Russia's invasion raised fears of widespread displacement of Ukrainians, provoked accusations that the AP was seeking to profit off of suffering.

"The Associated Press has deleted a tweet advertising an NFT that sure looked a whole lot like an attempt to make money off the plight of desperate migrants," wrote the behavioral scientist Caroline Orr Bueno on Twitter.

"This is so far beyond the bounds of appropriate," wrote John Stanton, editor of the New Orleans news outlet Gambit.

"How did this get all the way to execute without a single journo saying something," asked another journalist, SI Rosenbaum.

The organization has deleted the tweet and canceled the planned sale. "This was a poor choice of imagery for an NFT. It has not and will not be put up for auction. The tweet promoting it was also deleted," said Lauren Easton, the global director of media relations and corporate communications at the Associated Press.

"AP's NFT marketplace is a very early pilot program, and we are immediately reviewing our efforts. As a not-for-profit, AP's mission is to inform the world with accurate, unbiased journalism."

The organization had said in the post that the video would be available the next day through its new marketplace selling NFTs - digital collectibles associated with code that marks them as unique. In a press release last month, the AP announced the online marketplace as a spot where users can "purchase the news agency's award-winning contemporary and historic photojournalism", including images of "space, climate [and] war".

"For 175 years AP's journalists have recorded the world's biggest stories, including through gripping and poignant images that continue to resonate today," the press release says. Buyers will receive "a rich set of original metadata offering collectors awareness of the time, date, location, equipment and technical settings used for the shot".

The NFTs are being released on a rolling basis. Currently available images range in price from $219 to $1,799. The proceeds will be returned to the AP's non-profit newsroom, according to the press release.

The sale raises questions about how photojournalism is used beyond a news story. Photographers and news outlets often face thorny decisions about the use of images of human suffering. Dorothea Lange's celebrated Migrant Mother image, for instance, was intended to illustrate its subject's Depression-era struggle. But the woman, Florence Owens Thompson, later described feeling "exploited" by the portrait, which did nothing to aid her financially (and sold at auction in 2002 for $141,500).

NFTs are pushing that debate even further. With news organizations competing with Google and Facebook for advertising dollars, alternative streams of revenue are essential. The New York Times has sold copies of its articles as NFTs and sells some of its photography through an online store, as does the Guardian.

But the available images tend to focus on lighter topics, including the arts, music and cityscapes. The same is true of the other images in the AP's NFT marketplace.

Are you looking for a holiday? Get special deals.

 

More News

Booking.com
Tesla's self-driving cars under fire again
Tesla's self-driving cars under fire again
AI flaw leaked Gmail data before OpenAI patch
AI flaw leaked Gmail data before OpenAI patch
Nation's capital defies shutdown chaos with bold 'DC is open' push to lure tourists back to city
Nation's capital defies shutdown chaos with bold 'DC is open' push to lure tourists back to city
Historic letter that marked Margaret Thatcher's rise to power discovered hidden in garage
Historic letter that marked Margaret Thatcher's rise to power discovered hidden in garage
Premier League boss sacked minutes after latest loss, ending brief and winless tenure with Nottingham Forest
Premier League boss sacked minutes after latest loss, ending brief and winless tenure with Nottingham Forest
Bill Maher hails Trump's Gaza peace breakthrough, says to 'give credit where credit is due'
Bill Maher hails Trump's Gaza peace breakthrough, says to 'give credit where credit is due'
Keith Urban has awkward moment with fan named Nicole at Nashville concert
Keith Urban has awkward moment with fan named Nicole at Nashville concert
Florida teacher told to remove Charlie Kirk image from classroom feels targeted, vows to fight district
Florida teacher told to remove Charlie Kirk image from classroom feels targeted, vows to fight district
Indonesia's treatment of Israeli gymnasts prompts criticism but also acceptance from sport's global chief
Indonesia's treatment of Israeli gymnasts prompts criticism but also acceptance from sport's global chief
Scientists reveal how your favorite soda could quietly mess with your mood
Scientists reveal how your favorite soda could quietly mess with your mood
40 Days for Life sees spike in volunteers after Charlie Kirk's assassination
40 Days for Life sees spike in volunteers after Charlie Kirk's assassination
Trump releases video of US drone strike on 'drug-carrying submarine' in Caribbean that left 2 dead, 2 captured
Trump releases video of US drone strike on 'drug-carrying submarine' in Caribbean that left 2 dead, 2 captured
How community-building has powered Snag
How community-building has powered Snag
Explore New Jersey’s Best October Events: Fall Festivals, Pumpkin Picking & More
Explore New Jersey’s Best October Events: Fall Festivals, Pumpkin Picking & More
San Francisco Joins Paris, Tokyo, Bali, London, and Dubai in Seeing Major Airfare Drops in 2025 – Here’s Where to Save Big!
San Francisco Joins Paris, Tokyo, Bali, London, and Dubai in Seeing Major Airfare Drops in 2025 – Here’s Where to Save Big!
Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel Transformation Elevates Local Tourism
Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel Transformation Elevates Local Tourism
Jasper, The Ultimate Secluded Travel Getaway in the Canadian Rockies. What Are You Waiting For?
Jasper, The Ultimate Secluded Travel Getaway in the Canadian Rockies. What Are You Waiting For?
Royal Caribbean’s Iconic Two Story Casino Sets New Standards For Luxury At Sea
Royal Caribbean’s Iconic Two Story Casino Sets New Standards For Luxury At Sea
Dubai to Host Global Wellness Summit 2025: The Future of Wellness Travel, All You Need To Know
Dubai to Host Global Wellness Summit 2025: The Future of Wellness Travel, All You Need To Know
Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp Redefines Luxury Safari Experience with Stunning Views and Immersive African Culture
Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp Redefines Luxury Safari Experience with Stunning Views and Immersive African Culture
Latest News

copyright © 2025 Accommodation Singapore.   All rights reserved.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z