By now, every cricket fan would’ve seen the footage of Ben Duckett in Noosa, whether they want to or not. If they haven’t seen it, they would definitely have read about it. This episode pretty much dominated Ben Stokes’s pre-Boxing Day Test press conference at the MCG. Most of all, it raises very uncomfortable questions – not about Duckett and his future, but about those who think it’s okay to create such ‘content’.
The facts are very simple. Duckett had finished playing in the first two Ashes Tests and was on a well-deserved break away from the game. That it was a mid-series holiday had been made amply clear by the team management. He was no different from any other employee anywhere in the world, having a weekend or some down time. How many of us would like a camera, microphone or any other recording device to follow us around in our private moments on our days off? That is essentially what has gone viral on the Internet – an individual on his day off, doing something that millions of others do.
But Duckett has been ‘caught’ on camera and then shamed. Does the footage show him violently assaulting someone? Does it feature him spitting or abusing any other individual? It certainly doesn’t have him engaged in an act of violence against a defenceless animal, or vandalising public property. Nothing on the clip is of any ‘public interest’.
Social media has created this voyeuristic culture which has scant regard for people’s privacy, and absolutely no concern about how it impacts and affects the lives of those it targets. It’s Duckett that has to deal with the fallout of what has happened, whereas those who captured those few moments on camera walk away scot-free.
That just isn’t right. Every person – whether a high-profile sportsperson, a movie star or media personality – has a fundamental right to privacy. Duckett didn’t invite cameras over to where he was. He was not creating a scene. He was just a young man slightly the worse for wear after a night out trying to find his way home. Nothing more, nothing less.
If, after you view the footage, you’re poised to write a holier-than-thou rant or create the next meme, pause for a second and just think about where the finger is pointed. It’s not in Duckett’s direction. It’s pointed at you.
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