Chapter 2: Ethics and the Law

 What are ethics?

o Considering
 Impact: who does my decision affect or harm?
 Fairness: will my decision be considered fair by those
affected or harmed?
 Defined
o Provides a framework for what is right and what is wrong
 Trends
o Globalization and spreading ethics programs across cultures
 US bribery vs expectation
 Giving a gift to a teacher could be considered
bribery/conflict of interest in the states but an
expectation in a different country
o Increased scrutiny from the government and the public
 Brands need to “walk the walk”
 Need better values
o Relationships with organization and public need to be real
 Potential Issues
o Misleading customers
o False claims
 Legal issues
o Copyright
 Must get permission to use someone’s work
  If you create something for a company, they own it
 Fair use: can use limited amounts
 Reserved for news reporting, parody, research, or
education
 Privacy
o Info that intrudes into the lives of others
 People must agree to the info you’re sharing
o Work performance, health history, surfing habits?
o Extended to trade secrets and propriety information
 Ex: Cokes secret formula
 If there is something that effects the price of stock, then
the company must disclose it
o Freedom of Information Act
 Ability to request information from state or federal
government entitites
 EX: requesting copy of professors emails because
you believe they are unethical
 Trademark
o Distinctive word, symbol, phrase, product shape, picture, or logo
o Must be registered
o Have to prove confusion was created
o Can’t use famous
o Can’t buy domain name and sell it back
 Other legal issues
o Defamation
 Slander- spoken attack

2
  Libel- written attack
o False or deceptive advertising
 Monitored by the FTC
 The PR Professional’s Role
o Stabile code and communicate it
o Ripple effect
 From the top of the organization to the bottom
 EX: good leadership leads to good leadership at
bottom. Bad leadership at top leads to bad
leadership at the bottom
o Golden rule

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