From the perspective of the voyeur - the phenomena of voyeurism in Polish media and politics

Abstract

Nowadays, when the media are omnipresent and the globalization is constantly progressing, there is no place for privacy. It can be seen on the example of tabloids, which describe famous people’s life in detail, and on the small screen, where reality shows and quasi-documentary programmes dominate. Above all, it may be seen on the web - by means of social networks such as Facebook or Twitter. People like “peeking” others - our nature has an inborn tendency to be curious. This phenomenon is called voyeurism and it is a novelty on a Polish media market. It also refers to a political sphere. Consequently, we deal with a new kind of political communication. We more and more treat ourselves as products, by sharing our photos on the web and creating a certain image which often oversteps the boundaries of intimacy. The image culture has entirely dominated the mass media. Do any boundaries of privacy still exist, on account of that? If yes, how to preserve them?