Chapter 5: Invasion of Privacy

1
Chapter 5 Invasion of Privacy
This chapter deals with various ethical
violations of privacy.

• Types of invasion of privacy
• Intrusion on seclusion or solitude.
• Public disclosure of embarrassing private
  affairs.
• Publicity that places individuals in a false
  light.
• Appropriation of an individuals name or likeness
  for commercial advantage.

2
Chapter 5 Invasion of Privacy

• The ethics of privacy
• Decency and basic fairness
• Topic must have redeeming social value
• The individuals dignity must be maintained even
  with the disclosure

3
Chapter 5 Cases

• Case 19 The Controversial Patriot Act
• Case 20 Privacy in Cyberspace
• Case 21 A Prostitute on Page 12
• Case 22 Dead Body Photo

4
Case 19 The Controversial Patriot Act

• Facts Empirical Definition
• Values
• Loyalties
• Principles

John Ashcroft and President Bush were staunch
supporters of the USA PATRIOT Act.
5

• The USA PATRIOT Act was created to avoid
  tragedies like September 11.
• Can the government tighten security without
  being so intrusive?
• Does the PATRIOT Act violate American rights? In
  what ways?
• Would you rather have your privacy or your
  safety?

6
Case 19 Additional links

• USA PATRIOT Act Read the entire act.
• Justice Department A summary of what the USA
  PATRIOT Act means to law enforcement and the
  courts.
• Safe and Free ACLU database of summaries,
  articles and analysis of the USA PATRIOT Act.
• Civil Right Violations Instances when the USA
  PATRIOT Act did not work.

7
Case 20 Privacy in Cyberspace

• Facts Empirical Definition
• Values
• Loyalties
• Principles

8

• How much about your past are you comfortable
  with being accessed?
• What personal information should be available to
  the public?
• Should private investigative services be
  regulated by law?

9
Case 20 Additional links

• Private Detectives and Investigators An
  official job description
• Privacy Times Learn more about right to privacy
  versus freedom of information
• Investigative Resource Center A starting point
  for online investigations

10
Case 21 A Prostitute on Page 12

• Facts Empirical Definition
• Values
• Loyalties
• Principles

?
11

• In just this past decade, the media has
  sensationalized their coverage of the murders of
  Jonbenet Ramsey, Nichole Simpson, and the White
  House sex scandal.
• Identify the golden mean of news value for a
  community and the privacy of those personally
  involved.
• If one applied the agape principle, what would
  be considered morally appropriate behavior?
• Why should victims of circumstance endure
  punishment through a sensational account?

12
Case 21 Additional links

• Missoulian Read the paper involved.
• Changing the Way Violence is Reported Studies
  on the effects of sensationalized reporting on
  readers
• Junk Food News An article about telling the
  truth without sensationalism.
• Public Service or Soap Opera? A judge decides
  how many details of the Peterson murder case the
  public needs to know.

13
Case 22 Dead Body Photo

• Facts Empirical Definition
• Values
• Loyalties
• Principles

Scanned photo here
14

• News photographs of people mourning over 9/11, a
  plane crash, and the Columbine shooting.
• Are photos of dead bodies cautionary of morbid?
• What is the decent level of publicity for a
  tragedy?
• Should the victim and/or the victims family
  have the ultimate say?

15
Case 22 Additional links

• Californian Read the paper that ran the
  picture.
• Code of Ethics The ASNE requirements for
  photojournalists
• Ethics in Photojournalism One man was dismissed
  for improper editing of photos.