Chapter 2

Understanding Ethical and

Legal Considerations

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 Learning Objectives:

q Define ethics and conduct.

q Apply ethical considerations to your career.

q Identify ethical and legal obligations at work.

q List the principles of ethical communication.

q Understand the aspects of ethical communication

across cultures and mediums.

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What Is Ethical Communication?

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Big Picture: Principles of Conduct

• Rights
– Basic needs and welfare
• Justice
– How costs and benefits
are distributed
• Utility
– The positive and
negative effects
• Care
– The relationships with
other people

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11 Principles for Ethical Communication

1. Abide by laws on 6. Tell the truth.

intellectual property, 7. Don’t mislead your
contracts, and liability.
readers.
2. Comply with accessibility
standards. 8. Use design to highlight
3. Abide by the appropriate important ethical and legal
professional code of information.
conduct. 9. Be clear.
4. Abide by your 10. Avoid discriminatory
organization’s policy on language.
social media.
11. Acknowledge assistance
5. Take advantage of your
from others.
employer’s ethics
resources.

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Your Ethical Obligations

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 An employee assumes obligations to:

• YOUR EMPLOYER
• THE PUBLIC
• THE ENVIRONMENT

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You have five obligations to your employer.

q Competence and ü Apply the skills and

diligence work hard.
q Generosity ü Share your knowledge
q Honesty and candor and expertise to help.
q Loyalty ü Uphold truthfulness.
q Confidentiality ü Maintain company
privacy.
ü Act in your employer’s
interest.

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 Obligations to the Public

The products and services you work with need to be safe

and effective to fulfill your obligations to the public.

Safe: not injure or harm Effective

the consumer

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 Obligations to the Environment

Although your individual actions at work may not pollute or

deplete our natural resources substantially, your
organization’s actions may.

Be aware of the environmental impact of your company.

1. Alert supervisors to damaging situations.
2. Dispose of waste properly.
3. Offer initiatives to reduce the impacts.

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Your Legal Obligations

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 4 Bodies of Law

• Copyright
• Trademark
• Contract
• Liability

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 Factors for Fair Use

• the purpose and character of the use, especially

whether the use is for profit
• the nature and purpose of the copyrighted work
• the amount and substantiality of the portion of the work
used
• the effect of the use on the potential market for the
copyrighted work

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Licensing and the Creative Commons

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 Avoid Copyright Issues

ü Abide by the fair-use concept.

ü Seek permission.
ü Cite your sources accurately.
ü Consult legal counsel if you have questions.

It is ethical to reuse information already produced at

your company. Ask your supervisor if you have
concerns about doing that.

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 Trademarks Ensure Recognition
1. Trademark—a word,
phrase, name, or symbol
that is identified with a
company
2. Registered trademark—a
word, phrase, name, or
symbol that the company
has registered with the U.S.
Patent and Trademark
Office

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 Contracts Express Agreements

Contract law often focuses on warranty disputes when a

product or service does not live up to the claims.

• Express warranty—a written or oral statement that the

product has a particular feature or can perform a
particular function
• Implied warranty—a warranty that is not written or
spoken explicitly but inferred by the purchaser

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 Liability Law

You must warn Manufacturers are

consumers of all known responsible for explaining
dangers associated with and warning about the
the product or service. risks of the product or
service.

As communicators,
liability is an important
concern.

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 Abiding Liability Laws
1. Understand 6. Include
– The product and likely users – Warnings about safety and risks

2. Describe 7. Make
– Directions and warnings
– The functions and limitations
conspicuous
3. Instruct 8. Ensure
– Users on all aspects of – Instructions comply with
ownership standards and laws
4. Use 9. Perform
– Appropriate words and – Usability testing on products and
graphics instructions

5. Warn 10. Update

– Users on new information
– Users about the risks

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The Role of Corporate Culture

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Encouraging Ethical and Legal Behavior

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Legal Issues with Social Media

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 Social Media Offers Rewards and Risks

Over 100 companies were surveyed in 2014:

Almost 80% have social-media policies.
More than 1/3 block employee access.
More than 50% of employers reported misuse problems.
Over 70% of businesses have had to take disciplinary
action against an employee.

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Guidelines for Ethical Social Media (1 of 2)

• Keep your private accounts separate from company-

sponsored accounts.
• Read the terms of service of every service to which you
post.
• Avoid revealing unauthorized news about your own
company.
• Avoid self-plagiarism.
• Avoid defaming anyone (making statements that are
false and harmful).

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Guidelines for Ethical Social Media (2 of 2)

• Don’t live stream or quote from a speech or meeting

without permission.
• Avoid false endorsements.
• Avoid impersonating someone else online.
• Avoid infringing on trademarks by using protected
logos or names.

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Communicating Ethically Across Cultures

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 Big Picture: Cultures May Differ

When communicating across cultures, either globally or

within a nation, be mindful of local beliefs and laws.
• Beliefs: Do NOT reinforce patterns of discrimination in
product information or communication.
• Laws: Adhere to other countries’ federal and regional
laws when exporting goods and services.

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 Review Learning Objectives:

ü Defined ethics and conduct

ü Applied ethical considerations to your career
ü Identified the obligations to your various audiences
ü Listed the principles of ethical communication
ü Understood the aspects of ethical communication
across cultures and mediums

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