Case Studies
The Ethics of Skinvertising
April 18, 2024
Getting a tattoo can be a symbolic personal decision, one that is not for everyone. It’s a decision to express something about their personality in a permanent and often publicly…...
Communicating the Origin of COVID-19
April 16, 2024
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, originated from Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Since then, SARS-CoV-2 has spread across the world and has claimed over 6 million lives as of…...
Cold Cases or Hot Topics?
February 22, 2024
What are the ethical concerns of true crime podcasts?...
Scientists as Superheroes?
February 22, 2024
How can scientists ethically and effectively communicate urgent information?...
The Ethics of Amazon Alexa
August 29, 2023
On November 14, 2014 tech giant Amazon announced the newest voice assistant to hit the market. The voice assistant, commonly known as “Alexa,” was a primary feature of a new…...
Psychedelic Hype
July 18, 2023
What are the ethics of communicating new research on psychedelic drugs?...
My Murder, Your Entertainment
May 15, 2023
It’s no secret that true crime media, whether in podcast or film format, has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. True crime is popular for reasons other than entertainment, as…...
Love Yourself or Just Your Selfie?
May 8, 2023
While Instagram used to be a casual platform to share quick snapshots with friends, it has turned into a perfectly curated stream of highlight reels. Like many young people, 21-year-old…...
Sprinting Towards Publication
February 27, 2023
Now that social media sites like Twitter allow news to spread like wildfire, journalists have been feeling more pressure than ever to get their stories published in accordance with stricter…...
The Ethics of AI Art
February 24, 2023
For thousands of years, art has been an endeavor of the human race. From Rembrandt to Basquiat, from the Benin Bronzes to the new wave cinema of Hong Kong, art…...
Cancel Culture in Journalism?
February 20, 2023
2020 and 2021 were years marked by the concept of “cancelling.” To cancel someone or something means to stop supporting that person, business, or organization. It could also mean using…...
With Great Fame Comes Great Responsibility?
February 13, 2023
TikTok Influencers have a lot of power. Should they use it in ethical ways?...
It ain’t Easy Being Green
January 12, 2023
What are the ethics of greenwashing products in advertising?...
The Ethics of DNA Predictive Technology in Law Enf...
December 5, 2022
What are the ethical tradeoffs of surveillance software in online education?...
Imperfections or Revealing Mistakes on Twitter?
November 30, 2022
What ethical concerns arise when Twitter users can edit their tweets?...
Can Journalists also be Activists?
October 31, 2022
What does objective reporting mean in covering the Black Lives Matter protests?...
Newsworthy Expression or Tragic Tea?
October 18, 2022
What happens when YouTube drama channels switch from influencer gossip to serious tragedies?...
Is Coordinated Political Activity on Social Media ...
October 13, 2022
Are coordinated political campaigns ethical?...
The Ethics of TikTok Trends
September 15, 2022
When do popular TikTok trends become unethical?...
Socratic Discussion or Masked Bigotry?
September 1, 2022
How offensive can trolls be? A case study in online free speech....
More than a Fashion Faux Pas?
August 25, 2022
Can inclusive advertising survive the heavy hand of Facebook's able-biased AI?...
Internet Activism or Cyberterrorism?
August 18, 2022
Is hacktivism an ethical form of protest or activism?...
Historical Accuracy in Entertainment Media
August 10, 2022
How accurate do historical dramas like "The Crown" need to be?...
Adam Schefter and “Mr. Editor”
June 7, 2022
How much control over stories should journalists give sources and subjects?...
The Good, the Bad, and the Sticky
May 24, 2022
What are the tradeoffs associated with sticker art in public spaces?...
Reporting on the Night Stalker
July 14, 2021
How far should journalists go in covering a deadly serial killer?...
A Tool for Racial Equality or Cancel Culture?
April 26, 2021
Should Yelp be in the business of branding businesses as racist?...
Accurate and Effective Reporting in a Pandemic
April 5, 2021
What ethical choices await Indian news media covering the pandemic?...
The Ethics of News Paywalls
February 15, 2021
Are news paywalls good for journalism and democracy?...
Stopping the Spread of Anti-Vax Memes
February 8, 2021
Should platforms censor anti-vaccination memes to help end the pandemic?...
The Ethics of Digital Contact Tracing
January 28, 2021
What worries arise when we use digital contact tracing to fight COVID-19?...
Newsroom Objectivity in the Age of Black Lives Mat...
January 20, 2021
What does objective reporting mean in covering the Black Lives Matter protests?...
The Ethics of Op-Eds
December 29, 2020
Should newspapers run controversial or offensive op-ed pieces?...
The News We Desire
December 27, 2020
Are partisan news outlets good for our democracy?...
Greed or Good Intentions in Investigative Journali...
December 21, 2020
Did Bob Woodward do something wrong in delaying the release of his investigative research on Trump and COVID-19?...
Reporting on Caste and Sexual Assault
December 5, 2020
What are the challenges and choices journalists face in reporting caste-based violence in India?...
Who’s Helping Who in the Game of Lobbying?
October 27, 2020
What are the ethical risks and rewards of political lobbying?...
TikTok, Time to Snitch
October 21, 2020
Is it ethical to use TikTok to shame fellow college students who violate COVID-19 guidelines?...
Quelling Interference or Dissent?
October 20, 2020
Did Tumblr's purge of Russian misinformation accounts go too far?...
Putting the President in Check
October 13, 2020
Is Twitter's decision to add a factcheck to Trump's voter fraud tweet a good thing?...
Celebrity Death in the Media
October 5, 2020
What challenges arise when the media covers dead celebrities who were both loved and hated?...
Setting the Terms of the Debate
October 1, 2020
What ethical trade-offs accompany different ways of framing advocacy campaigns in political communication?...
The Ethics of Word Choice
September 28, 2020
Is ambiguity and creative wordplay ethical in political communication?...
Sex, Drugs, and Hijabs on Netflix
September 21, 2020
Is Netflix's "Elite" a case of creative filmmaking or Muslim stereotyping?...
Freedom Of Skepticism and the Social Responsibilit...
September 17, 2020
How much skepticism of experts is ethical for powerful leaders during a pandemic?...
Gaming Platforms and Shocking Speech
September 14, 2020
When the gaming platform Twitch wants to police the speech of its users, what could go wrong?...
Angry for Change
September 8, 2020
Is anger - and angry political rhetoric - good for democracy?...
Political Speech or Legalized Bribery?
September 1, 2020
Lobbying may be legal in politics, but is it ethical?...
Blurring the Line Between Reporting the Truth and ...
August 25, 2020
Should journalists show the faces of protesters in news coverage?...
Picturing Justice for Kalief Browder
August 17, 2020
What ethical worries accompany Jay-Z's attempt to document injustices in the American prison system?...
Campaign Promises and Vague Rhetoric
August 12, 2020
What are the ethical uses and abuses when it comes to using ambiguity in political communication?...
The Paradox of Pathos
August 1, 2020
What are the ethical promises and perils of using emotional messages in politics?...
Objectivity in Journalism
July 28, 2020
What are the challenges of objectivity in journalism?...
Ghosting the People?
July 13, 2020
Is using a ghostwriter in presidential communication ethical?...
Whose Image is It to Use?
July 9, 2020
What ethical choices lie behind the use of images for advocacy campaigns?...
Doxing in the Name of Public Health
July 6, 2020
Is it ethical to name and shame those that violate travel precautions in the COVID-19 pandemic?...
Fighting (Online) Fire with Fire?
June 22, 2020
What are the ethics of using counterspeech to fight online harassment?...
Pandemic Prime Time for the Cuomo Brothers
May 26, 2020
What ethical concerns arise with the brotherly interactions between Governor Cuomo and journalist Cuomo?...
Politics in the Age of Digital Information Overloa...
May 21, 2020
What are the ethics of Facebook allowing potentially misleading political ads?...
Paying Your Way to the Top
May 20, 2020
Are purchases made in multiplayer video games unethical and unfair?...
Written In Only to Be Excluded?
May 11, 2020
What are the ethics of screenwriting and diversity in hits like "Game of Thrones?"...
Campaigning for Your Enemies
May 7, 2020
Is it ethical to campaign for opponents you know you can beat?...
Producing Fear for the Greater Good?
May 4, 2020
How much complexity can we overlook in persuading young adults to fight COVID-19?...
Can Artificial Intelligence Reprogram the Newsroom...
April 27, 2020
As artificial intelligence plays an increasing role in newsrooms, what ethical issues arise?...
Are there Bigger Fish to Fry in the Struggle for A...
April 13, 2020
Is PETA right that our anti-animal sayings do more harm than good?...
Images of Death in the Media
April 2, 2020
What ethical challenges arise when the media uses images of the dead?...
Powerful Art, Harmed Environments
March 29, 2020
What if great art has to harm the environment to make its point?...
Misinformation, Social Media, and the Price of Pol...
March 25, 2020
Is banning paid political advertising on social media good for democracy?...
The Different Species of the Online Catfish
March 24, 2020
What ethical complexities circle around catfishing and online deception?...
Actors Playing Protestors in Real Life
March 19, 2020
What are the ethics of Bollywood celebrities joining popular protest movements--and the calls to "cancel" their careers?...
Changing Comments or Changing Minds?
February 20, 2020
When a Pakistani newspaper uses an algorithm to change user comments to protest government censorship, what could go wrong?...
Dramatization or Falsification?
February 17, 2020
How far can films about journalists push the truth for dramatic effects?...
Beer Cans and Cancel Culture
February 5, 2020
What are the ethical challenges when journalism and cancel culture merge?...
How Vigilant Should Cable News Be About Political ...
February 3, 2020
What are the ethical implications of CNN refusing to air Trump's misleading advertisements?...
Greta Thunberg and Her Harsh Critics
January 30, 2020
What are the ethics of criticizing young political activists like Greta Thunberg?...
The Ethics of Anonymous Criticism in Political Jou...
January 22, 2020
What are the ethical implications of using anonymous political sources in journalism?...
To Release or Not to Release
January 22, 2020
What are the ethics of films that portray political assassinations in India?...
Ethics and E-Cigarette Advertising
January 20, 2020
What ethical concerns arise in regulating e-cigarette advertisements?...
Fighting the Amazon Fires with Misinformation
December 2, 2019
What are the ethical dilemmas posed by celebrity activists using not-so-accurate information on social media to save the environment?...
Secret Facebook Groups and the Ethics of Democracy
November 18, 2019
People are turning to secret Facebook groups to express their political opinions. What are the ethical implications of this trend for democracy?...
Censorship in Pakistan
November 12, 2019
What are the challenges to reporting the news in Pakistan?...
Social Media Activism or Mere Slacktivism?
November 12, 2019
When online activists vow to make a villain famous, what could go wrong?...
Matters of Facebook Live or Death
November 12, 2019
What are the ethical worries over Facebook Live and immediate internet broadcasting?...
No Comment
November 12, 2019
What are the ethical issues involved in closing news website comment sections in a democracy?...
Virtual Reality, Immersive Media, and Journalism
November 12, 2019
What are the ethics of using virtual reality in real journalism?...
Cooperation and Compromise in the Artworld
November 11, 2019
When can artists work with repressive governments to create valuable art?...
Reporting on Sexual Assault in India
November 4, 2019
What are the challenges to privacy and community safety in reporting on sexual assault in India?...
Green is the New Color of Money
April 30, 2019
What are the ethical concerns with "greenwashing" in advertisements to sell products?...
Limiting or Lifesaving?
April 9, 2019
Are there any ethical problems with banning anti-vaccination content from social media platforms?...
Halloween Hijinks and Internet Shaming
April 3, 2019
What ethical decisions await those dressing up for Halloween--and those reacting to racially insensitive costumes?...
Netflix and Kill
March 14, 2019
What are the ethics of portraying heinous criminals in popular films?...
Advertising Ethics and Social Issues
March 5, 2019
Gillette walks the razor's edge in using the battle against toxic masculinity in their recent ad campaign....
And Nothing But the Truth
March 1, 2019
How can reporters balance accuracy and good effects in their reporting on war-torn African communities?...
The Ethics of Computer-Generated Actors
February 13, 2019
What ethical concerns arise when filmmakers use CGI to resurrect dead actors?...
When Does Artistic Creativity Become the Exploitat...
January 22, 2019
What ethical concerns arise when a prominent photographic artist uses her children in her work?...
“One Does Not Simply Create a Meme”
January 14, 2019
When does the creation and sharing of internet memes go too far?...
Entertaining Endorsements in Sports Journalism
December 28, 2018
What conflicts arise when sports journalists also get endorsement deals?...
Sacking Social Media in College Sports
December 27, 2018
Should college athletes be limited in their use of social media?...
Defending Freedom of Tweets?
December 21, 2018
What are the ethical challenges that arise when professional athletes share their views on social media?...
The Wild West of Sports Journalism?
December 20, 2018
Do the ethics of sports blogs differ from mainstream journalism, especially when covering sexual scandals?...
Just Do It?
December 12, 2018
Did Nike do too much in their use of Colin Kaepernick and others in their recent advertising campaign?...
Does the Photo Fit the News?
December 11, 2018
What happens when a powerful image becomes the face of the immigration debate?...
Digital Immortality on an App
December 10, 2018
When AI chatbots let us talk with the dead, what ethical issues might haunt us?...
Is It Only A Game?
December 6, 2018
First-person shooter video games are popular. But are they ethical to enjoy?...
“Some of My Best Friends are Internet Vigilantes”
December 5, 2018
What are the ethical issues that arise with naming and shaming racists online?...
How Can I Be So Mean to Myself?
December 4, 2018
What are the ethical concerns with the new phenomena of digital self-harm?...
Side Effects May Include Persuasion
December 3, 2018
What ethical concerns are raised by direct-to-consumer advertising for pharmaceutical products?...
Covering Female Athletes
November 30, 2018
What ethical choices are made in how female athletes are portrayed in sports media?...
Don’t “Like” My Children
November 28, 2018
What could go wrong when parents share information about their children online?...
When Actors Become Characters
November 26, 2018
What are the ethics of fictional works created by fans that involve real people as characters?...
Filtering Out Cyberbullying
November 23, 2018
What are the ethical issues raised by Instagram's efforts to filter out cyberbullying?...
To Catfish or Not to Catfish?
November 15, 2018
What are the ethical problems with "catfishing" online?...
Values Preserved in Stone
November 7, 2018
What are the ethical issues surrounding Confederate memorials?...
Gaming the System?
November 4, 2018
What are the ethical problems with cheating in Fortnite?...
Boldly Going Where Studios Have Gone Before
October 31, 2018
When does fan fiction cross the line from inspired creativity to unethical stealing?...
AI and Online Hate Speech
September 25, 2018
Can AI save us from online hate speech? Or will it learn our worst traits?...
Google Assistant and the Ethics of AI
September 24, 2018
What ethical issues arise when realistic-sounding AI is used in human interactions?...
Sweet Justice?
July 25, 2018
Did Pepsi go too far in its use of protest iconography to sell its product?...
#MeToo and the Arts
July 18, 2018
What happens when the #MeToo movement meets the artworld?...
When Comedic Stereotypes Cease to Be Funny
July 8, 2018
Do humorous - but stereotypical - characters like Apu from "The Simpsons" cross ethical lines?...
Doxing and Digital Journalism
July 6, 2018
When can journalists reveal the identity of controversial social media users?...
First, Do No Harm?
May 7, 2018
What ethical issues arise when balancing doctor-patient confidentiality and the protection of third parties?...
Finsta Fad
April 30, 2018
What are the real ethical issues raised by fake Instagram accounts?...
Collateral Damage to the Truth
April 27, 2018
What conflicts arise when journalists want transparency on drone deaths?...
Swipe Right to Expose
April 24, 2018
What could go wrong with an investigative journalist covering the sordid side of the Rio Olympics?...
Biometrics, Data, and Privacy
April 17, 2018
Does national security trade off with privacy in biometric identification?...
Dying to Be Online
April 12, 2018
What could go wrong when you die on Facebook?...
Sharing the Pain
March 30, 2018
What ethical issues does the rapid sharing of information in emergencies raise?...
Fake News, Fake Porn, and AI
March 29, 2018
What are the ethical issues involved in the use of AI in creating fake video content?...
Ethics and Artistic Appropriation
March 26, 2018
What are the ethical issues raised by reframing the meaning of public artworks?...
Suicide, Fiction, and Ethics
March 21, 2018
What are the ethical issues raised by Netflix's "13 Reasons Why"?...
Free Speech and the Ethics of Protest
March 14, 2018
What are the ethics of free speech and controversial protests?...
Ethics and the Tweeter-in-Chief
March 5, 2018
What are the ethical issues with President Trump's use of Twitter?...