‘A space of negotiation’: Visitor Generated Content and Ethics at Tate

Abstract

This article uses Tate as a case study through which to explore the ethical dimensions of museums’ and galleries’ efforts to create participatory digital encounters for visitors. To what extent, it asks, is a framework for a digital museum ethics beginning to emerge at Tate? Using data from a suite of interviews with the digital team at Tate, this article reveals an organization ready for considered engagement with the knottier extensions of the debate about museums’ digital practice in 2015, but a concern about how to ensure staff members have the skills and confidence to lead and take part in those discussions on the ground.