Research

Free Speech

Examining the limits and values of free speech in a variety of forms

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…...
My Murder, Your Entertainment

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…...
Cancel Culture in Journalism?

With Great Fame Comes Great Responsibility?

February 13, 2023

TikTok Influencers have a lot of power. Should they use it in ethical ways?...
With Great Fame Comes Great Responsibility?

Imperfections or Revealing Mistakes on Twitter?

November 30, 2022

What ethical concerns arise when Twitter users can edit their tweets?...
Imperfections or Revealing Mistakes on Twitter?

Can Journalists also be Activists?

October 31, 2022

What does objective reporting mean in covering the Black Lives Matter protests?...
Can Journalists also be Activists?

Newsworthy Expression or Tragic Tea?

October 18, 2022

What happens when YouTube drama channels switch from influencer gossip to serious tragedies?...
Newsworthy Expression or Tragic Tea?

Is Coordinated Political Activity on Social Media ...

October 13, 2022

Are coordinated political campaigns ethical?...
Is Coordinated Political Activity on Social Media a Threat to Democracy?

The Ethics of TikTok Trends

September 15, 2022

When do popular TikTok trends become unethical?...
The Ethics of TikTok Trends

Historical Accuracy in Entertainment Media

August 10, 2022

How accurate do historical dramas like "The Crown" need to be?...
Historical Accuracy in Entertainment Media

Defamation, Copyright, and Journalism in India

January 26, 2022

Should news organizations in India sue other sites who use their content to criticize it?...
Defamation, Copyright, and Journalism in India

Democratizing the Best or Enabling the Worst?

January 13, 2022

Is Amazon's easy self-publishing good or bad for democracy?...
Democratizing the Best or Enabling the Worst?

A Tool for Racial Equality or Cancel Culture?

April 26, 2021

Should Yelp be in the business of branding businesses as racist?...
A Tool for Racial Equality or Cancel Culture?
Stopping the Spread of Anti-Vax Memes

Stopping the Spread of Anti-Vax Memes

February 8, 2021

Should platforms censor anti-vaccination memes to help end the pandemic?...
Stopping the Spread of Anti-Vax Memes

Newsroom Objectivity in the Age of Black Lives Mat...

January 20, 2021

What does objective reporting mean in covering the Black Lives Matter protests?...
Newsroom Objectivity in the Age of Black Lives Matter

The Ethics of Op-Eds

December 29, 2020

Should newspapers run controversial or offensive op-ed pieces?...
The Ethics of Op-Eds

TikTok, Time to Snitch

October 21, 2020

Is it ethical to use TikTok to shame fellow college students who violate COVID-19 guidelines?...
TikTok, Time to Snitch

Quelling Interference or Dissent?

October 20, 2020

Did Tumblr's purge of Russian misinformation accounts go too far?...
Quelling Interference or Dissent?

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?...
Putting the President in Check

Sex, Drugs, and Hijabs on Netflix

September 21, 2020

Is Netflix's "Elite" a case of creative filmmaking or Muslim stereotyping?...
Sex, Drugs, and Hijabs on Netflix

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?...
Gaming Platforms and Shocking Speech

Picturing Justice for Kalief Browder

August 17, 2020

What ethical worries accompany Jay-Z's attempt to document injustices in the American prison system?...
Picturing Justice for Kalief Browder

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?...
Doxing in the Name of Public Health

Fighting (Online) Fire with Fire?

June 22, 2020

What are the ethics of using counterspeech to fight online harassment?...
Fighting (Online) Fire with Fire?

Politics in the Age of Digital Information Overloa...

May 21, 2020

What are the ethics of Facebook allowing potentially misleading political ads?...
Politics in the Age of Digital Information Overload

Written In Only to Be Excluded?

May 11, 2020

What are the ethics of screenwriting and diversity in hits like "Game of Thrones?"...
Written In Only to Be Excluded?

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?...
Are there Bigger Fish to Fry in the Struggle for Animal Rights?

The Different Species of the Online Catfish

March 24, 2020

What ethical complexities circle around catfishing and online deception?...
The Different Species of the Online Catfish

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?...
Actors Playing Protestors in Real Life

Dramatization or Falsification?

February 17, 2020

How far can films about journalists push the truth for dramatic effects?...
Dramatization or Falsification?

Beer Cans and Cancel Culture

February 5, 2020

What are the ethical challenges when journalism and cancel culture merge?...
Beer Cans and Cancel Culture

Greta Thunberg and Her Harsh Critics

January 30, 2020

What are the ethics of criticizing young political activists like Greta Thunberg?...
Greta Thunberg and Her Harsh Critics

Reality TV and Real Ethics

December 6, 2019

For those who don’t tune into reality TV, a compelling new series has been attracting attention and provoking debate about the ethics of televised relationships. The hit series, Love Island,…...
Reality TV and Real Ethics

Green is the New Color of Money

April 30, 2019

What are the ethical concerns with "greenwashing" in advertisements to sell products?...
Green is the New Color of Money

Limiting or Lifesaving?

April 9, 2019

Are there any ethical problems with banning anti-vaccination content from social media platforms?...
Limiting or Lifesaving?

Halloween Hijinks and Internet Shaming

April 3, 2019

What ethical decisions await those dressing up for Halloween--and those reacting to racially insensitive costumes?...
Halloween Hijinks and Internet Shaming

The Ethics of Computer-Generated Actors

February 13, 2019

What ethical concerns arise when filmmakers use CGI to resurrect dead actors?...
The Ethics of Computer-Generated 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?...
When Does Artistic Creativity Become the Exploitation of Children?

“One Does Not Simply Create a Meme”

January 14, 2019

When does the creation and sharing of internet memes go too far?...
“One Does Not Simply Create a Meme”

“Some of My Best Friends are Internet Vigilantes”

December 5, 2018

What are the ethical issues that arise with naming and shaming racists online?...
“Some of My Best Friends are Internet Vigilantes”

When Actors Become Characters

November 26, 2018

What are the ethics of fictional works created by fans that involve real people as characters?...
When Actors Become Characters

Filtering Out Cyberbullying

November 23, 2018

What are the ethical issues raised by Instagram's efforts to filter out cyberbullying?...
Filtering Out Cyberbullying

To Catfish or Not to Catfish?

November 15, 2018

What are the ethical problems with "catfishing" online?...
To Catfish or Not to Catfish?

Values Preserved in Stone

November 7, 2018

What are the ethical issues surrounding Confederate memorials?...
Values Preserved in Stone

Boldly Going Where Studios Have Gone Before

October 31, 2018

When does fan fiction cross the line from inspired creativity to unethical stealing?...
Boldly Going Where Studios Have Gone Before

AI and Online Hate Speech

September 25, 2018

Can AI save us from online hate speech? Or will it learn our worst traits?...
AI and Online Hate Speech

#MeToo and the Arts

July 18, 2018

What happens when the #MeToo movement meets the artworld?...
#MeToo and the Arts

When Comedic Stereotypes Cease to Be Funny

July 8, 2018

Do humorous - but stereotypical - characters like Apu from "The Simpsons" cross ethical lines?...
When Comedic Stereotypes Cease to Be Funny

Finsta Fad

April 30, 2018

What are the real ethical issues raised by fake Instagram accounts?...
Finsta Fad

Anonymity, Doxing, and the Ethics of Reddit

April 4, 2018

What ethical issues are created in Reddit's attempts to clean up its act?...
Anonymity, Doxing, and the Ethics of Reddit

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?...
Fake News, Fake Porn, and AI

Bullying our First Amendment?

March 19, 2018

What are the legal and ethical implications of bullying by text message?...
Bullying our First Amendment?

Free Speech and the Ethics of Protest

March 14, 2018

What are the ethics of free speech and controversial protests?...
Free Speech and the Ethics of Protest