you will submit a legal and ethical handbook (rather than a traditional paper). The handbook pulls together all of the work you have done this semester and allows you to apply it to your own organization or an organization of your choice.
Your handbook will include a list of ethical best practices for your organization. Your analysis of professional codes of ethics in Milestone One, as well as your use of the different ethical frameworks during our discussions, will help you create this list.
Your topic selection in Milestone Two, as well as the analysis of different cases in our discussions throughout the course, have given you practice in dissecting the legal and ethical issues associated with real-world communication dilemmas. You will put these skills into practice in the case-study portion of your handbook.
Finally, your new knowledge about the different areas of law, as well as your analysis of landmark court cases in Milestone Three, will help you create a list of legal guidelines for your organization. The goal is helping your colleagues avoid legal issues when creating digital media messages.
THE INSTRUCTION BELOW NEED TO BE FOLLOWED STEP BY STEP IN ORDER FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT TO BE COMPLETED ALL THE ASSIGNMENT THAT IS NEEDED FOR THIS WORK IS ALSO ADDED BELOW.
Overview
As a communications professional in the 21st century, it is critically important to understand the laws and ethics that guide how we communicate in digital and
mediated settings. Using the information learned in this class, you will create a handbook for digital communication for the company you work for or a company
you wish to work for. The handbook will be designed to guide employees on how to communicate ethically and legally in a digital world. It will also include a case
study of an existing digital communication case, issue, or dilemma as an example of how to apply the ethical guidelines and laws outlined in your handbook.
This project is a realistic assignment a communication professional might receive and also shows how the concepts learned in this course are applicable to the
real world. Your handbook should be realistic, but can take many forms. For example, it can be created in a word document like a standard handbook. Or, it could
be created as a website, blog, or presentation. You decide the best way to convey the information in an interesting and clear way including examples, photos, or
graphics as you see fit.
This project is a realistic type of assignment that a communication professional might receive and also shows how the concepts learned in this course are
applicable in the real world. Your handbook should be professional and practical, but it can take many forms. For example, it can be created in a Word document
like a standard handbook. Or, it could be created as a website, blog, or presentation. You decide the best way to convey the information in an interesting and
clear way including examples, photos, or graphics as you see fit. (Although the final project is a handbook rather than a traditional academic paper, you should
still cite sources and include a list of references in APA format.)
This assignment addresses the following course outcomes:
Analyze relevant legal concepts in planning for the creation of new messages for digital delivery
Analyze professional codes of ethics for their application to digital and mediated communication
Evaluate common ethical frameworks for developing personal ethical principles regarding digital communication
Analyze the influence of landmark legal cases and First Amendment applications for their impact on laws governing communication in a digital setting
Examine dilemmas in digital communication for their legal and ethical implications
Prompt
You have been asked by your company to create a handbook for ethical and legal communication in the digital age. The format of the handbook is up to you. For
example, you can create one in Microsoft Word, or you can use a website or blog. Feel free to get creative, but the goal is to present all the information below in
an organized, professional, and accessible way. It should be something that can easily be referred to by employees in your company as they go about their work
creating messages and content for digital delivery.
Specifically the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction: Compose front matter (i.e., preface, overview, table of contents) that concisely informs the reader about the purpose and contents of the
handbook.
II. Laws and Regulations: This section will discuss the laws and regulations associated with digital communication. Utilize specific examples to illustrate
how these laws apply to digital communication decisions.
a) Select, and briefly describe, well-known situations that show how the First Amendment has been applied to digital and mediated
communication.
b) Select landmark court cases in digital communication and explain what changes were made in communication law because of them.
c) Determine content and messaging changes made by companies as a result of the changes in communication law brought on by landmark court
cases.
d) Based on the above determination, compile a list of “best legal practices” that company employees should follow when creating digital
messages and other content for the company.
III. Ethical Guidelines: In this section, you will write your own code of ethics for your company employees that will guide their communication and message
creation in the digital world. These guidelines should be your own and not copied from another source. However, your guidelines should be based on
research and the ethical ideas and principles discussed in class.
a) Analyze existing professional codes of ethics for common themes that apply to digital and mediated communication.
b) Based on these common themes, develop your own list of ethical guidelines with references to where you have obtained this information.
c) Justify the inclusion of each ethical guideline and provide appropriate examples to support your rationale.
d) Based on the code of ethics you have created and existing ethical frameworks, compile a list of “best ethical practices” that company employees
should follow when creating digital messages and other content for the company.
IV. Case Study: In this section, you will show how the legal concepts and your ethical guidelines can be applied to a real-life situation. This should serve as
an example to employees of how to apply the information in the handbook.
a) Overview an existing, controversial dilemma in digital communication and explain the legal and ethical implications. This can be a specific
incident or a general issue that pervades digital communication. The topic you choose should have both legal and ethical implications.
b) Apply the First Amendment to this situation and support your application with examples.
c) Illustrate how existing communication laws and regulations apply in this situation.
d) Based on the precedents set in the previously selected landmark legal cases, explain how this situation is impacted by them.
e) Apply your list of “best legal practices” to assess the legal actions of the parties involved in this dilemma.
f) Determine existing ethical codes from the media professions involved in the dilemma.
g) Apply your list of “best ethical practices” to assess whether or not ethics were taken into consideration by the parties involved in the dilemma.
h) Determine how the results of your analysis can be applied to future digital communication situations. Milestones
Milestone One: Analyzing Professional Codes of Ethics
In Module Two, you will write a 4–6-page paper analyzing two professional codes of ethics and how they apply to digital communication. Choose two ethics
codes from two different professional organizations, for example, journalism and public relations. You can also use the code of ethics from the organization your
work for, if one exists. You will then analyze these codes for common themes that could be applied to digital and mediated communication messages. Describe
how these codes can help guide ethical creation of messages to the public and then suggest three to five “best practices” or “practical guidelines” for how people
should communicate ethically in these fields. Justify why you think each of your best practice suggestions are important. This assignment supports your
successful completion of section III above. This milestone will be graded using the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Case Study Topic Selection and Explanation
In Module Four, you will submit the topic for the case study that will be included in your final project. The purpose of the case study is to show how the legal
concepts you discuss and the ethical guidelines you create can be applied to a real-life situation. The topic for your case study should be a real, controversial
dilemma in digital communication. It can be a specific incident or a general issue that pervades digital communication and should illustrate the importance of at
least one of the “best practices” or “practical guidelines” for ethical and legal communication in the field. Summarize your topic and briefly describe the legal and
ethical aspects you believe are present. Make sure to justify why this topic is important and worth studying in order to become better communicators. Include a
list of at least three potential sources you plan to use. This paper should be 2–4 pages long. This assignment supports your successful completion of section IV
above. This milestone will be graded using the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Landmark Court Cases
In Module Six, you will analyze landmark court cases for how they have impacted digital communication. Pick three to five landmark court decisions that
changed digital communication. For each case, give an overview of the case, then describe how the case impacted or changed digital and electronic
communication. Make sure to discuss any changes that had to be made in communication industries as a result of each case and/or any immediate effects as a
result of each court decision. Evaluate the impact each case will have on the future of digital and mediated communication. This paper should be 4–
6
pages long.
This assignment supports your successful completion of section II above. This milestone will be graded using the Milestone Three Rubric.
Final Project Submission: Final Submission
In Module Nine, you will submit your legal and ethical handbook. This handbook will include ethical and legal guidelines and practices along with a case study.
The handbook should follow the final project prompt and include all the critical elements. It should be polished and free of errors and reflect the incorporation of
feedback gained throughout the course. The final project will be graded using the Final Project Rubric (below).
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverables Module Due Grading
One Analyzing Professional Codes of
Ethics
Two Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric
Two Case Study Topic Selection Four Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric
Three Landmark Court Cases Six Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric
Final Submission: Handbook Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your handbook should be 12–15 pages, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and use 12-point Times New Roman font and APA
format.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Introduction: Front
Matter
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
front matter demonstrates a
complex grasp of the purpose
of the handbook
Composes front matter that
concisely informs the reader
about the purpose and content
of the handbook
Composes front matter that
informs the reader about the
purpose and content of the
handbook, but front matter is
cursory or verbose.
Does not compose front matter
that informs the reader about
the purpose and content of the
handbook
5
Laws and Regulations:
First Amendment
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
situations selected
demonstrate a complex grasp
of First Amendment issues
within digital and mediated
communication
Selects and briefly describes
well-known situations that
show how the First
Amendment has been applied
to digital and mediated
communication
Selects and describes well-
known situations that show
how the First Amendment has
been applied to
communication, but
description is verbose or
contains inaccuracies, or
situations do not apply to
digital and mediated
communication
Does not select and describe
well-known situations that
show how the First
Amendment has been applied
to communication
4.5
Laws and Regulations:
Landmark Court Cases
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
details show keen insight into
the symbiotic nature of
communication law and digital
communication law
Selects landmark court cases in
digital communication
explaining what changes were
made in communication law
because of them
Selects landmark court cases in
digital communication
explaining what changes were
made in communication law
because of them, but
explanation is cursory or
contains inaccuracies
Does not select landmark court
cases in digital communication
explaining what changes were
made in communication law
because of them
4.5
Laws and Regulations:
Content and
Messaging
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
determination makes cogent
connections between changes
in messaging and changes in
communication law
Determines content and
messaging changes made by
companies as a result of the
changes in communication law
brought on by landmark court
cases
Determines content and
messaging changes made by
companies as a result of the
changes in communication law,
but determination contains
inaccuracies or is not directly
related to landmark court cases
Does not determine content
and messaging changes made
by companies as a result of the
changes in communication law
brought on by landmark court
cases
4.5
Laws and Regulations:
Best Legal Practices
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
list exhibits a direct connection
to changes in communication
law
Compiles a list of “best legal
practices” that company
employees should follow when
creating digital messages and
other content for the company
based on above determination
Compiles a list of “best legal
practices” that company
employees should follow when
creating digital messages and
other content for the company,
but “best legal practices” are
cursory or not based on above
determination
Does not compile a list of “best
legal practices” that company
employees should follow when
creating digital messages and
other content for the company
based on above determination
6
Ethical Guidelines:
Professional Codes of
Ethics
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
common themes show keen
insight into existing
professional codes of ethics
that apply to digital and
mediated communication
Analyzes existing professional
codes of ethics for common
themes that apply to digital
and mediated communication
Analyzes existing professional
codes of ethics for common
themes that apply to
communication, but analysis
contains inaccuracies, or does
not clearly apply to digital or
mediated communication
Does not analyze existing
professional codes of ethics for
common themes that apply to
digital and mediated
communication
6
Ethical Guidelines:
Common Themes
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
list exhibits a complex grasp of
the common themes in
professional codes of ethics
Develops a list of ethical
guidelines with references to
where the information was
obtained based on the
common themes in existing
professional codes of ethics
Develops a list of ethical
guidelines with references to
where the information was
obtained, but list is not based
on common themes in existing
professional codes of ethics
Does not develop a list of
ethical guidelines with
references to where the
information was obtained
based on the common themes
in existing professional codes of
ethics
6
Ethical Guidelines:
Ethical Guideline
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes exceptional use of
examples to justify the
inclusion of each ethical
guideline
Justifies the inclusion of each
ethical guideline providing
appropriate examples to
support rationale
Justifies the inclusion of each
ethical guideline, but
justification is cursory, or
examples used to support
rationale are inappropriate
Does not justify the inclusion of
each ethical guideline and
provide appropriate examples
to support rationale
6
Ethical Guidelines:
Best Ethical Practices
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight into how “best ethical
practices” can guide the
creation of digital content
Compiles a list of “best ethical
practices” that company
employees should follow when
creating digital content for the
company based on the code of
ethics that was created
Compiles a list of “best ethical
practices” that company
employees should follow when
creating digital content for the
company, but list is cursory, or
not clearly based on the code
of ethics that was created
Does not compile a list of “best
ethical practices” that company
employees should follow when
creating digital content for the
company
6
Case Study: Existing
Controversial
Dilemma
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
details provided show keen
insight into the legal and
ethical implications
Overviews an existing
controversial dilemma in digital
communication, explaining the
legal and ethical implications
Overviews an existing
controversial dilemma in digital
communication, explaining the
legal and ethical implications,
but overview is cursory or
contains inaccuracies
Does not overview an existing
controversial dilemma in digital
communication and explain the
legal and ethical implications
6
Case Study: First
Amendment
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
examples highlight cogent
connections between the First
Amendment and the situation
Applies the First Amendment
to the situation and supports
application with examples
Applies the First Amendment
to the situation and supports
application with examples, but
application contains
inaccuracies, or supporting
examples are not cogent
Does not apply the First
Amendment to the situation
and support application with
examples
6
Case Study: Existing
Communication Laws
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes cogent connections
between specifics of the
situation and communication
laws and regulations
Illustrates how existing
communication laws and
regulations apply in this
situation
Illustrates how existing
communication laws and
regulations apply in this
situation but illustration is
cursory, or not adequately
supported with examples
Does not illustrate how existing
communication laws and
regulations apply in this
situation
6
Case Study:
Precedents
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
details show keen insight into
the impact of landmark
precedents on the situation
Explains how the situation is
impacted by the precedents set
in landmark legal cases
Explains how the situation is
impacted by the precedents set
in landmark legal cases, but
explanation is cursory or
contains inaccuracies
Does not explain how the
situation is impacted by the
precedents set in landmark
legal cases
4.5
Case Study: Best Legal
Practices
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes cogent connections
between best legal practices
and legal actions of the parties
involved
Applies “best legal practices” to
assess the legal actions of the
parties involved in the dilemma
Applies “best legal practices” to
assess the legal actions of the
parties involved, but
application is cursory or
assessment is illogical or
contains inaccuracies
Does not apply “best legal
practices” to assess the legal
actions of the parties involved
in the dilemma
6
Case Study: Existing
Ethical Codes
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates a complex grasp
of the existing ethical codes
involved
Determines existing ethical
codes from the media
professions involved in the
dilemma
Determines existing ethical
codes from the media
professions involved in the
dilemma, but determination is
cursory or contains
inaccuracies
Does not determine existing
ethical codes from the media
professions involved in the
dilemma
6
Case Study: Best
Ethical Practices
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes cogent connections
between best ethical practices
and the considerations of the
parties involved
Applies “best ethical practices”
to assess whether or not ethics
were taken into consideration
by the parties involved in the
dilemma
Applies “best ethical practices”
to assess whether or not the
ethics were taken into
consideration by the parties
involved, but application is
cursory or assessment is
illogical or contains
inaccuracies
Does not apply “best ethical
practices” to assess whether or
not the ethics were taken into
consideration by the parties
involved
6
Case Study: Future
Digital
Communication
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
shows keen insight into how
digital communication may
evolve in the future
Determines how the results of
the analysis can be applied to
future digital communication
situations
Determines how the results of
the analysis can be applied to
future digital communication
situations, but determination is
cursory or illogical
Does not determine how the
results of the analysis can be
applied to future digital
communication
6
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented
in a professional and easy-to-
read format
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
5
Total 100%
- COM 530 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
Prompt
Milestone One: Analyzing Professional Codes of Ethics
Milestone Two: Case Study Topic Selection and Explanation
Milestone Three: Landmark Court Cases
Final Project Submission: Final Submission
Deliverables
Final Project Rubric
1
5
Code of Ethics
Shawnette Howard
SHNU
1/16/2022
A Code of ethics is a set of moral guiding principles that generally dictate how different situations should be handled within an organization, assuming people will have to play different roles and the said roles will involve the interaction with different people. Therefore, these guiding principles are put in place to ensure the utmost high recognition of professionalism within the working environment. It is agreeable that such principles are primarily put in place to act as a watch regarding ethics and morality regarding what is right to what is wrong. Therefore, this implies a minimum expectation of the kind of conduct expected in the workplace, and this code constitutes ethical standards.
American Medica Association (AMA) is one of the biggest and most established organizations in the United States of America. This implies that there is a need to establish a set of rules and expectations to be followed by the different medical practitioners when it comes to handling sensitive information, especially that information that is relevant to the treatment of a patient. This need has created the room to adopt a code of conduct that recognizes that communication must be done in an ethical manner that recognizes both the patient and the medical practitioner’s role in the exchange, that is, treatment of the patient by the medical practitioner this codes are under Chapter 2: Ethics of Consent, Communication & Decision Making ( AMA, 2022). The code describes that information should be shared to ensure professionalism. It further recognizes that there should be a logical way of communicating information regardless of the patient and why they have sought out medical help.
The idea is to ensure that the patient feels safe enough to confide in their doctors in whatever capacity is needed depending on what information is required. For this reason, despite the means of communication, for example, through electronic means such as over a phone call, information should only be relayed to the legally recognized individual, in most cases the patient, next of kin, or parents and guardians. The code recognizes that information can be shared for many reasons, including announcing a patient’s release or even death. Communication, in this case, is left to those who are in a legal capacity and professionally to be able to convey such a message in a clear and comforting as is required in this field.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a humanitarian organization mandated by the United Nations (UN) to take care of refugees and those displaced from their homes in a manner that destabilizes their ability to take care of themselves and their families. In most cases, such individuals may be escaping war or floods and famine, thereby seeking help from the organization. Like AMA, UNHCR recognizes the importance of communication, especially because the information is critical in the idea that funds used are from donors who would want to know how their money is being used. Therefore, the organization’s code of ethics requires its employees to avoid sharing information about any of those refugees seeking help and those volunteers who are part of the organization out of their own accord. In this case, communication about any individuals is limited by the code of ethics to those legally allowed to.
However, the two organizations contrast in their code in the sense of need. The American Medical Association applies the code of ethics to ensure that confidentiality is maintained, thereby building trust between the Doctors and their patients. In contrast, the UNHCR uses the codes to develop a way of protecting those seeking help for reasons that may endanger their lives, such as those who are running away for political reasons. In the latter, communication is limited to ensure that such individuals’ identity remains hidden, creating security for them.
Professional codes in ethical digital and mediated communication ensure that online communications are carried out in a sensible way that keeps the idea for respect of every individual at both ends of the communication medium. The code of honesty is an important ethical code in digital and mediated communication because it recognizes that digital communication is only efficient in cases where there is an actual representation of everyone’s true identity. In such a case, identity must be honestly presented to avoid situations of misrepresentation, which may lead to unlawful and unwarranted decision-making out of the communication being made (Ethics, 2022). Secondly is the code of confidentiality; this ethical code is important in the sense of the sensitivity of the information being communicated by one individual to another. In such a case, information being communicated may at times bear vital data such as individuals’ bank information or information that bears life or death consequences, as is often the case when it comes to information pertaining to the dispatching of military personnel and etcetera(Ethics, 2022). Therefore, this code is important since it ensures that aspects of identity are protected when communication is done over such mediums.
Based on my reading, I believe that their ethical guidelines would benefit any given organization. The first code in such a case is the practice of obeying any law or public policy; this is important because it gives everyone the mandate to work within the bracket prescribed by the law. A good example would be that such a code will deter individuals working in a bar from selling liquor to underage people since it is against the law (Ethics, 2022). Secondly, I believe that as a code of ethics, it should be expected that individuals in a workstation should give credit to those who are deserving. This is especially important when it comes to tasks involving superiors and those subordinate to them; in such situations, such a code would require that the superior staff recognize the role played by those under them. This is important because it provides everyone in a given workplace with a healthy environment to work in, in the sense that they can get the right reward for growth, for example, in the form of a raise and promotion.
An example of why such code would benefit a company is displayed in a situation where interns work hard to be recognized by their superiors and find solid ground in terms of employment in the organizations in which they are interning. Such a code in the said organization would allow the intern to feel comfortable, which inclines them to put in more effort, which reaps mutual benefit to the company and them as they are recognized for the good, they have brought into the company (Ethics, 2022). Lastly, I believe the code not guaranteeing results should be generally used (Ethics, 2022). The code is often misinterpreted to mean the lack of certainty; this is quite unfortunate since the code can generally mean that services rendered are to be offered within the scope of possibility. A good example of such a case would be when a doctor says that they will do everything humanly possible to save a patient.
Overall, having a code of ethics compares to having a guiding path that upholds professionalism in the work environment. Various organizations have their code of ethics that guide how things are done and ensure seamless operations. Wile their code of ethics, such as those of AMA and UNHCR might contrast, they are meant to serve the same purpose. Therefore thy should be upheld at all levels of the organization.
References
American Medical Association. Code of Medical Ethics: Consent, communication & decision making. (2022). Retrieved From:
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/code-medical-ethics-consent-communication-decision-making
.
Ethics, C. (2022). IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators. Iabc.com. Retrieved From:
https://www.iabc.com/About/Purpose/Code-of-Ethics
.
UNHCR. Acnur.org. (2003). Retrieved 14 January 2022, from
https://www.acnur.org/5b1969484
.
Dilemma in digital communication
1
Dilemma in digital communication 2
Dilemma in digital communication
Shawnette Howard
SNHU
1/27/2022
Selected Case: Death as content: Social responsibility and the documentary film maker
Summary
The selected case talks about the social responsibility of filmmakers; what responsibility they have towards the community and society. The case talks about Eric Steele who is a documentary film maker. The film maker filmed a controversial documentary known as “the bridge” where he covered Golden Gate bridge which is a leading suicide location with different individuals travelling from around the world to commit suicide there. The main issues that are presented in the case are the motives and intentions of the film maker and what role he should have played in saving lives (Wilkins et al., 2021). I selected the case because it addresses a very important topic, the social responsibility of film makers. It also talks about a major legal issue; suicide which is considered as a crime in many states and countries.
Ethical and legal issues in the case
One of the ethical issues in the case is the intention and the motive of the film maker. According to the case, the government officials said that Steele had lied about his intentions when he was applying for a permit. He had indicated that his intention was to cover how powerful the bridge was and how it interacted with nature. He emailed the true intentions of the documentary to the officials later (Wilkins et al., 2021). This is an ethical issue because he was not honest and he did this because he knew that if he had made his intentions clear then probably the officials would not have permitted him to go on with it.
Another issue in the case is whether the film makers had the responsibility to save lives or not. Steele confessed that during filming they did not interfere with the “jumpers.” This means that even when the film makers knew that the intention of the people was to kill themselves, they did absolutely nothing to save their lives or stop them. New York times stated that the documentary shows how being focused on the camera lens resulted into the detachment of film makers with their surroundings.
The real question is what was the intention of the documentary and if the intention was to create awareness about suicide then how better should have the documentary achieved this. Looking at the positive side of the documentary is that it talks about an important issue which most people including the digital media do not talk about as much. However, there are sufficient attempts to avert the issue by the film maker (Wilkins et al., 2021). The film maker does not include the opinions and views of professionals such as psychologists or mental illness experts on the matter. This is because professionals can help explain the causes of suicide and what triggers such events.
Suicide is a legal issue in the case; suicide involves the action of an individual ending their own life. The film makers in the case capture people during the act and the question is whether by doing so they aid it in any way. Critics of the film argued that the film makers encouraged suicide through the documentary and this is because it might seem as if the documentary gives the people ideas on how to kill themselves. After the film, building a pedestrian suicide barrier was considered and this is a positive outcome from the documentary.
Justification of the topic
The topic in the case is the social responsibility of film makers and this is an important topic of study since most of the film makers do not have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Looking at the topic will help clearly address what the film makers owe to the society and the community in which they are filming. Just like all other professionals, film makers have a range of responsibilities towards the society.
Film makers should not forget their duty towards their society in the craze of making money or becoming popular through the society. This is an important topic that is worth studying since the points and conclusions drawn from the study will be helpful not only for the film makers but also for advocates and legislators in this area. Film makers of documentaries have the responsibility of making sure that they have positive influence on the public and ensure that they represent reality.
Potential sources
The following are the potential sources that will be used for the final project which is due in Week 9.
1.
Borum Chattoo, C., & Jenkins, W. (2019). From reel life to real social change: The role of
contemporary social-issue documentary in US public policy. Media, Culture & Society, 41(8), 1107-1124.
This article talks about the legislations that are related to film makers and their work and will help with information on the different laws and by laws and even look at the impact of any violations on the film makers (Borum et al., 2019).
2.
Chattoo, C. B. (2020). Story movements: How documentaries empower people and inspire
social change. Oxford University Press.
I will use this article to look at the positive impact which documentaries have in the society. Documentaries help uncover important issues that face people and by bringing out some of these issues affected individuals end up getting help (Chattoo, 2020). The article also mentions other social responsibilities that will be used in the final draft.
3.
Lester, P. M. (2018). Visual ethics: A guide for photographers, journalists, and filmmakers.
Taylor & Francis.
The article will be important to the final project, and this is because it addresses various ethical responsibilities of film makers. The article touches on how the film makers as public servants have a responsibility towards the people to make sure that they protect their wellbeing. Some of the issues addressed in the article include privacy issues where the film makers are required to protect the identity of people that do not want their identity disclosed who are part of their documentaries.
References
Borum Chattoo, C., & Jenkins, W. (2019). From reel life to real social change: The role of
contemporary social-issue documentary in US public policy. Media, Culture & Society, 41(8), 1107-1124.
Chattoo, C. B. (2020). Story movements: How documentaries empower people and inspire
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Landmark Cases
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Landmark Cases 5
Landmark Cases
Shawnette Howard
SNHU
2/13/2022
Landmark cases have been able to shape the development of freedoms in the idea that freedom of speech has continuously been put in check to ascertain whether there is a need for improvement or not. If so, they outline the steps to be lawfully followed to ensure these freedoms are not manipulated to undermine their importance within a legal bracket. Some of the landmark cases that impacted digital communication in a significant manner are New York Times v Sullivan, Reno v. ACLU, and Brandenburg v Ohio.
Reno v. ACLU
The Reno v. ACLU case involved an assessment of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. This case provided the needed criminal course of action against any individual that used the internet to transfer obscene messages, which are general messages that are indecent (Marano, 2017). This was explicitly when the transferor the message itself involved a minor (A person under 18 years). Therefore, Congress came up with an agreeable vote to pass the Communications Decency Act to curb the issue of pornography. CLU, however, argued that the act contained elements of unconstitutionality (Djavaherian, 1998). And it was based on this argument the supreme court ruled the act as a violation of the First Amendment right to speech. The idea behind this argument was that it was a content-based restriction.
The case brought changes in the communication industry. One of the major supreme court cases directly linked the past of communication, especially in the digital platform, to the future. Arguably, any court ruling may have an upside as well as a downside, especially if it involves opening the doors to freedoms but limiting some notions of morality. The case made a solid ground from which the law recognized the freedom of speech; from this case, the freedom was further given a broader scope to work on. It is also worth considering that this case ushered in the idea of self-expression without limiting oneself to what others find as right. The case allowed people to act in their capacity; this was the basic foundation of freedom of speech for future generations.
New York Times v Sullivan
The case was mainly a prominent aspect of promoting freedom of speech. The case created a platform from which newspapers could go in-depth and chase a story irrespective of where it took them. Sullivan sued the New York Times for defamation in an ad by the Newspaper. However, the Newspaper argued that they did not desire to tarnish Sullivan’s identity when the ad was posted. An Alabama court awarded Mr. Sullivan $500,000 worth of damages to be paid in good time by the New York Times (Wasserman, 2012). The Newspaper, however, made an appeal in the supreme court, in which case the supreme court declared that the case would favor the Newspaper. This was because for the suit to stand, Mr. Sullivan would have to prove that the Newspaper intentionally used information that would cause harm to his Image. In this aspect, he was unable to.
The case’s ruling was an important landmark in digital communication. It changed the media industry since it provided media personalities with the right tools to go after stories, especially ones related to influential and powerful people. Through this ruling, the freedom of speech, especially in publication, was ensured since people could now communicate without fear of prosecution so long as such information is in line with the idea of no purposeful intention to harm the subject of the publication. Finally, it is essential to recognize that the ruling was a stepping stone that ensured that publications in different platforms such as digital platforms remained free of influence by fear. This helps future digital publications to have the backing needed as they make strides in story narration.
Brandenburg v Ohio
Brandenburg v Ohio was a case heard in 1969. The case became an important benchmark because it involved the interpretation of the First Amendment rights by the Supreme court. Brandenburg had been convicted and given a 10years sentence and a fine by a state court in Ohio (Field 2018). The state appellate court affirmed this conviction. However, the supreme court took to overrule the conviction since it was interpreted that the first amendment stands in cases where speech was used to advocate an illegal act as long as it is not likely to create imminent lawlessness. These key details created the ideal environment for people to voice their opinions on different platforms.
The case is a landmark since it allows different individuals to portray their opinions. The idea behind this landmark is that it created a reasonable approach through which people can express their opinion within the criteria that it does not directly apply pressure on people to perfume illegal acts. The Digital platforms have particularly embraced this aspect of the law because such platforms contain people with diverse views. Therefore, there is the rational expectation that at some points, different individuals would react differently in the aspect of what they say and how they say it. The case also helped shape the room for future protests, especially those done on digital platforms.
Best legal Practice
There must be ideal practices that can govern the freedom of speech and the First Amendment rights of each individual using any digital platform. The first Practice would be to avoid sharing obscene materials on such platforms; this would ensure that some kind of moral code remains in the daily activities conducted digitally. Secondly, it would be an excellent legal practice to consider the type of messages we post about other people since this would ensure that the issue of defamation is not a consequence of our actions. Generally, keenness when writing about other people would be essential to consider; this promotes respecting rights and freedom. Lastly, as an ideal practice, it would be important that each individual creates messages that do not cause harm or damage to those around them to trigger a violent act, either in the workplace or outside the workplace. The power of digital messaging could be a tool to create harmony, yet it could also be abused to limit other people’s rights; it is, therefore, important that these practices be put in place.
References
Djavaherian, D. K. (1998). Reno v. ACLU. Berkeley Tech. LJ, 13, 371.
Field, M. A. (2018). Brandenburg v. Ohio Its Relationship to Masses Publishing Co. v. Patten. Ariz. St. LJ, 50, 791.
Marano, J. G. (2017). Caught in the Web: Enjoining Defamatory Speech that Appears on the Internet. Hastings LJ, 69, 1311.
Wasserman, H. M. (2012). A jurisdictional perspective on New York Times v. Sullivan. Nw. UL Rev., 107, 901.