Laws and Ethics in Digital Communication
Laws are rules set by an authority, including the government and other relevant institutions that guide digital communication. Ethics, on the other hand, are agreed-upon principles within the professional setting that various occupations are expected to adhere (Flew et al., 2019). Laws are by all standards considered enforceable, legal, and binding for all people within a certain setting. Ethics are not necessarily official codes of conduct and may vary in degree of practice within various firms in the same profession. Laws are usually set with prerequisites for the people whose professions are affected. Within this context, the governing authorities who prescribe these laws are responsible for punishing those found culpable of these rules (Flew et al., 2019). The punishment extends from fines to punishment for a certain period while ethics have no prescription for official repercussions. The consequences of contravening agreed ethical standards include the loss of credibility amongst audiences, which may be damaging to a career.
Examples of Laws and Ethics in Digital Communication
Laws in digital media include the freedom of speech of the press contained in the bill of rights. This rule allows media outlets to convey reports to the general public and report all things that happen in the country (Priyanto & Sardi, 2021). This law limits the actions of various institutions or groups that might seek to prevent the media institutions from conveying news. Digital communication laws cover social media coverage of news, mainstream media coverage of events, and print media. Ethics in digital communication include the practice of checking bias and ensuring all sides of a story are considered to eliminate favoritism (Jahng et al., 2020). This implies ensuring that an outlet carries a comprehensive background check of its story and covers minority groups alongside the majority. This ethical guideline is vital in ensuring equal representation and ensuring that the personal views of journalists on a matter do not hinder objectivity.
Importance of Law and Ethics for Media Personalities
Laws and ethics both protect media personalities from silencing by various authorities and institutions. These include some rogue government authorities that ordinarily seek to hide ugly truths from the general public. Other entities such as private companies and institutions may try to bribe or intimidate media personalities from releasing news (Bastian, 2019). The protection of the freedom of speech of the press ensures the gagging authorities suffer the consequences of such moves. Ethics ensure that media personalities do not contravene their professional standards. This means they operate within a limited environment, which prescribes their boundaries, ensuring their operation is regulated (Bastian, 2019). Additionally, ethics enable career progression for journalists who maintain high moral standing in their practice. The integrity of media personalities ensures they do not lose their humanity while seeking to achieve career progression.
How Law and Ethics Guide the Behavior of Professionals
Confidentiality is a crucial component of journalism, and media professionals must ensure their sources are protected. This regulation is both legal and ethical, ensuring the actions of professionals protect the lives and well-being of their informants. To conceal the identity of their sources, professionals usually blur their faces for identity or their voices or omit their names in their reports (Chen & Wang, 2020). Journalism reports are sometimes condemning, and expose people with massive influence and sway in their fields. The media has the responsibility of revealing various wrongdoings to the general public, and the ethical and moral duty to protect their sources from such people. When collecting reports and broadcasting them to the general public, journalists assure their informants of anonymity, guaranteeing the effective practice of journalism.
References
Bastian, M. (2019). Media and accountability in Latin America: Framework, conditions, instruments. In Media and Accountability in Latin America (pp. 453-493). Springer VS, Wiesbaden.
Chen, J., & Wang, Y. (2020). Social media usage for health purposes: Systematic review (Preprint). Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(5). Web.
Flew, T., Martin, F., & Suzor, N. (2019). Internet regulation as media policy: Rethinking the question of digital communication platform governance. Journal of Digital Media & Policy, 10(1), 33–50. Web.
Jahng, M. R., Lee, H., & Rochadiat, A. (2020). Public relations practitioners’ management of fake news: Exploring key elements and acts of information authentication.Public Relations Review, 46(2), 101907. Web.
Priyanto, G. A., & Sardi, M. (2021). The urgency of protecting netizen in freedom of speech on social media. Media of Law and Sharia, 2(1). Web.