NFTs: Love them or hate them, it doesn’t look like they are going anywhere anytime soon.
That said, some people are more hesitant than others to jump on that bandwagon (and for a variety of reasons) but even those that are relatively enthusiastic about it all have their limits.
Take the case of the Associated Press. We brought you news some time ago that the agency would open its own NFT marketplace. Right move or not, more than a couple of people had pretty strong opinions about that but, overall, it seems to be a sign of the times.
And those of us that watch the Internet know it was only a matter of time before something like this would rear its head and here we are. Apparently, an NFT of a boat of migrants was placed up for sale and it caused an outrage on the Internet (as many things do). Yet here, under the perception that the AP was profiting off of the suffering of others, the outrage is pretty understandable. AP agrees and swiftly removed it all.
The company responded in two tweets:
“We deleted an earlier tweet promoting an upcoming NFT auction. This was a poor choice of imagery for an NFT. It has not and will not be put up for auction.”
“AP’s NFT marketplace is a 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. That remains our primary focus.”
What is your opinion of NFTs? Could it ultimately benefit photographers and creators? Let us know your thoughts on NFTs in the comments.
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