CPRS Ethics & Legal Considerations in Public Relations 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which scenario best exemplifies the ethical concept of 'independent judgment' as defined in the PRSA Code?
- A practitioner always follows client instructions without question
- A practitioner refuses to issue communications they believe are false, even under client pressure (Correct answer)
- A practitioner delegates ethical decisions to the legal department
- A practitioner avoids all controversial client assignments
Correct answer: A practitioner refuses to issue communications they believe are false, even under client pressure
The PRSA Code's independence provision protects practitioners' right to exercise professional judgment and refuse to execute communications that compromise ethical standards.
Question 2: A PR practitioner creates a video news release (VNR) for a government agency without disclosing its government origin. This violates:
- The First Amendment's establishment clause
- FCC rules requiring identification of the source of video news releases (Correct answer)
- The Freedom of Information Act
- The Hatch Act
Correct answer: FCC rules requiring identification of the source of video news releases
FCC rules and the GAO have determined that undisclosed government-funded VNRs broadcast as news constitute covert propaganda, requiring source identification.
Question 3: When a PR practitioner simultaneously serves on a nonprofit board and manages PR for a company that contracts with that nonprofit, the primary ethical concern is:
- Violation of lobbying disclosure laws
- A conflict of interest requiring disclosure to both parties (Correct answer)
- Breach of attorney-client privilege
- Violation of SEC quiet period rules
Correct answer: A conflict of interest requiring disclosure to both parties
Holding dual roles where one entity benefits from decisions involving the other creates a conflict of interest that must be disclosed to all relevant parties under the PRSA Code.
Question 4: A company facing litigation wants its PR firm to issue a press release making unverified claims that undermine a plaintiff's credibility. The PR firm should:
- Issue the release since the client has the right to respond publicly
- Refuse to issue the release and counsel the client on factual, measured public statements (Correct answer)
- Issue the release but add a disclaimer noting the claims are unverified
- Refer the matter entirely to legal counsel and take no further action
Correct answer: Refuse to issue the release and counsel the client on factual, measured public statements
Issuing releases with unverified claims that disparage individuals can constitute defamation; practitioners must counsel clients toward factual communication and decline to participate in legally and ethically problematic tactics.
Question 5: Which of the following is a legitimate use of 'background' briefings with reporters according to PR ethics standards?
- Providing false information with plausible deniability
- Offering factual context to help reporters accurately understand complex issues, with the source remaining unnamed (Correct answer)
- Planting negative stories about competitors without attribution
- Circumventing an organization's official spokesperson policy
Correct answer: Offering factual context to help reporters accurately understand complex issues, with the source remaining unnamed
Background briefings are ethically appropriate when used to provide accurate, contextual information that helps reporters understand issues more completely, with the source identity protected as agreed.
Question 6: Under PRSA ethical standards, what distinguishes legitimate advocacy from propaganda?
- Propaganda uses paid media while advocacy uses earned media
- Advocacy is transparent about its source and intent while propaganda conceals them (Correct answer)
- Propaganda is always illegal while advocacy is always legal
- Advocacy requires government registration while propaganda does not
Correct answer: Advocacy is transparent about its source and intent while propaganda conceals them
The ethical distinction between advocacy and propaganda centers on transparency: ethical advocacy clearly identifies who is speaking and why, while propaganda conceals its true origin and intent.
Question 7: A PR practitioner suspects their client has provided materially false information to investors through a press release. The practitioner's first ethical step should be:
- Immediately contact the SEC to file a whistleblower complaint
- Confront the client directly and counsel them to issue a correction (Correct answer)
- Publicly retract the press release without client authorization
- Do nothing unless formally asked about the release
Correct answer: Confront the client directly and counsel them to issue a correction
The practitioner should first address the issue internally by confronting the client and advocating for a correction before considering external escalation, consistent with both PRSA ethics and legal obligations.
CPRS Ethics & Legal Considerations in Public Relations 5
Which scenario best exemplifies the ethical concept of 'independent judgment' as defined in the PRSA Code?