CPC Ethics & Legal Considerations in Communication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ethical principle requires a communicator to avoid spreading information they know to be false, even under organizational pressure?
- Veracity (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
- Non-maleficence
- Autonomy
Correct answer: Veracity
Veracity—the commitment to truthfulness—obligates communicators to refuse knowingly disseminating false information regardless of pressure.
Question 2: A news release contains a photograph that was digitally altered to make a product look more appealing than it is. This practice most likely violates:
- FTC regulations against deceptive advertising (Correct answer)
- Copyright law for the original photograph
- The Privacy Act of 1974
- OSHA workplace safety guidelines
Correct answer: FTC regulations against deceptive advertising
The FTC prohibits deceptive advertising, including materially misleading product images that could influence consumer purchasing decisions.
Question 3: The principle of 'informed consent' in communication ethics means that:
- Audiences should understand what information is being collected and how it will be used (Correct answer)
- All communications must receive legal approval before release
- Journalists must consent before being included on a media list
- Clients must approve all outgoing press releases
Correct answer: Audiences should understand what information is being collected and how it will be used
Informed consent requires that individuals understand and agree to how their data or participation will be used in communications campaigns.
Question 4: When a company issues a press release that omits material negative information about a product, this may constitute:
- Material omission, which can be legally actionable (Correct answer)
- Protected speech under the First Amendment
- A standard competitive practice in PR
- Negligent reporting by the media
Correct answer: Material omission, which can be legally actionable
Deliberately omitting material facts that would affect audience decisions can be considered deceptive and is potentially actionable under FTC and SEC regulations.
Question 5: A public communicator receives a leaked confidential document. Before using this information, the primary ethical consideration is:
- Whether publishing serves a genuine public interest that outweighs potential harms (Correct answer)
- Whether the document was sent via encrypted channels
- Whether competitors already have access to the information
- Whether the company's stock price will be affected
Correct answer: Whether publishing serves a genuine public interest that outweighs potential harms
Public interest justification is the primary ethical framework for evaluating whether to use confidential information obtained through leaks.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'astroturfing' in the context of communication ethics?
- Creating fake grassroots movements to make corporate campaigns appear citizen-driven (Correct answer)
- Promoting environmental initiatives through community outreach
- Using celebrity endorsers to promote public health campaigns
- Building genuine stakeholder coalitions for advocacy purposes
Correct answer: Creating fake grassroots movements to make corporate campaigns appear citizen-driven
Astroturfing is the deceptive practice of manufacturing the appearance of organic public support for campaigns that are actually corporate-sponsored.
Question 7: Under U.S. law, a public figure suing for defamation must prove:
- Actual malice—that the defendant knew the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for its truth (Correct answer)
- That the statement caused emotional distress
- That the defendant was negligent in fact-checking
- That the statement was published to at least 500 people
Correct answer: Actual malice—that the defendant knew the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for its truth
The Supreme Court's New York Times v. Sullivan ruling established that public figures must prove actual malice to succeed in defamation claims.
CPC Ethics & Legal Considerations in Communication 3
Which ethical principle requires a communicator to avoid spreading information they know to be false, even under organizational pressure?