Media Ethics Case Study

Assignment

Your final project for this course is to create a 7-minute video presentation accompanied by a detailed essay. You will analyze a real-world case study involving an ethical issue in mass media, drawing from one of the ethical frameworks discussed in class. This case study can pertain to communications industries.

What You Must Include in Your Video:

  • Background
    • Introduce the case so that someone unfamiliar with it would understand the context.
    • Include:
      • Who: Key players involved such as individuals, organizations, or audiences.
      • What: The specific event or decision that raised ethical concerns.
      • Where: Geographic or industry context.
      • When: The timeline of events – was it recent, ongoing, or historical?
      • Why: The reason the case matters, including its impact on audiences, industry practices, or society
  • Ethical Issues/Question
  • Outcome
    • Summarize what happened to the individuals or organizations involved.
    • Detail the public reaction and any debates or disagreements that emerged.
    • Consider if the issue has broader implications or can be generalized to similar situations.
    • Example:
      • Cambridge Analytica: Mark Zuckerberg tested before Congress, Facebook faces a $5 billion fine, and the public became more aware of data privacy issues
  • Analysis
    • Using one of the ethical perspectives discussed in class, analyze the issue and argue your position.
    • Make sure to include specific evidence to support your claim
    • Analysis of Cambridge Analytica using Utilitarianism: The actions of Cambridge Analytica failed to produce the greatest good because the breach of privacy undermined public trust and caused widespread harm
    • Ethical perspectives to consider:
      • Utilitarianism: ethical actions are those that provide the greatest balance of good over evil
      • Common Good: community members are bound by the pursuit of common values and goals and the focus is on ensuring social policies, social systems, institutions, and environments on which we depend are beneficial to all
      • Rights: individuals have a fundamental moral right to have their choices respected and actions are wrong/unethical to the extent that they violate the right of the individual
      • Fairness/Justice: how fairly or unfairly our actions distribute benefits and burdens among the member of the group and requires consistency in the way people are treated
      • Virtue: there are certain ideals towards which we all should strive

Grading

  • Video Presentation
    • Worth 30 points
    • 7 minutes in length (you loose 5 points for every 30 seconds over or under the 7 minute mark)
    • Use presentation software (PowerPoint, Prezi, Google Slides, Canva, or Adobe Express)
    • Clear, engaging, and professional delivery
    • Focus on clarity and depth of analysis
    • Share your presentation software file as well
    • Technical requirements
      • Use screen recording software on your computer such as Kaltura available from KSU (i.e. you cannot record your screen with your phone) and upload the link to a sharing site like KSU SharePoint (be sure to give permission so your video can be viewed by those in the class), Vimeo, or YouTube
      • You may set the video to unlisted so that we can see the video but it cannot be found in a search if you prefer
      • Share your embedded presentation link. It must be an embedded link or you will earn a “0” (i.e. I do not want to see the actual URL address)
  • Essay
    • Worth 30 points
    • Supplement to your video presentation and provides elaborating details
    • Follow APA citation guide for paper layout and citation style