Advertising & Public Relations Ethics Case Studies

Newsroom Objectivity in the Age of Black Lives Matter

Newsroom Objectivity in the Age of Black Lives Matter

What does objective reporting mean in covering the Black Lives Matter protests?
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The Ethics of Op-Eds

The Ethics of Op-Eds

Should newspapers run controversial or offensive op-ed pieces?
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TikTok, Time to Snitch

TikTok, Time to Snitch

Is it ethical to use TikTok to shame fellow students in a pandemic?
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Quelling Interference or Dissent?

Quelling Interference or Dissent?

Did Tumblr's purge of Russian misinformation accounts go too far?
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Putting the President in Check

Putting the President in Check

Should Twitter factcheck Trump's misleading tweets?
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Celebrity Death in the Media

Celebrity Death in the Media

How should you cover a deceased celebrity who was both loved and hated?
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Sex, Drugs, and Hijabs on Netflix

Sex, Drugs, and Hijabs on Netflix

Is Netflix's "Elite" a case of creative filmmaking or Muslim stereotyping?
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Freedom Of Skepticism and the President

Freedom Of Skepticism and the President

How skeptical should leaders be of experts during a pandemic?
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Gaming Platforms and Shocking Speech

Gaming Platforms and Shocking Speech

What could go wrong with Twitch's efforts to police speech on its platform?
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Picturing Justice for Kalief Browder

Picturing Justice for Kalief Browder

What ethical concerns arise when Jay-Z attempts to document injustices in the American justice system?
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More cases coming soon!

Case studies produced by the Media Ethics Initiative remain the intellectual property of the Media Ethics Initiative and the University of Texas at Austin. They can be used in unmodified PDF form without permission for classroom use. For use in publications such as textbooks and other works, please contact the Media Ethics Initiative.