Lecture 6 - Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations | Improve Sales Pitch & PR PDF Download

 Page 1


Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson : Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
 
Course Developer : Amrita Kaur 
 
College/ Department : Bhagat Singh College (Eve), 
Commerce 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Page 2


Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson : Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
 
Course Developer : Amrita Kaur 
 
College/ Department : Bhagat Singh College (Eve), 
Commerce 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  2 
   
Table of Contents  
 Chapter: Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
1: Learning Outcomes 
2: Introduction 
3: Legal Issues concerning PR Professionals 
4: Ethical Issues in Public Relations 
?  Conflict of Interest 
5: Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics 
Summary 
Exercise 
Glossary 
References 
  
Page 3


Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson : Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
 
Course Developer : Amrita Kaur 
 
College/ Department : Bhagat Singh College (Eve), 
Commerce 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  2 
   
Table of Contents  
 Chapter: Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
1: Learning Outcomes 
2: Introduction 
3: Legal Issues concerning PR Professionals 
4: Ethical Issues in Public Relations 
?  Conflict of Interest 
5: Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics 
Summary 
Exercise 
Glossary 
References 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  3 
 
 
1. Learning Outcomes  
 
After studying this lesson, you should be able to: 
? define ethics, 
? explain legal issues concerning PR professional, 
? define terms like defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright, trademark, 
? discuss the issues that PR professionals keep in mind about invasion of 
privacy, 
? discuss the aspects that should be kept in mind by the PR department 
relating to copyright laws, 
? explain the concept of Misappropriation of Personality, 
? list the basic guidelines that a PR professional must follow to act ethically, 
? meaning of conflict of interest, 
? discuss the types of conflict of interest a PR professional can come across, 
? discuss corporate social responsibility and ethics. 
 
  
Page 4


Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson : Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
 
Course Developer : Amrita Kaur 
 
College/ Department : Bhagat Singh College (Eve), 
Commerce 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  2 
   
Table of Contents  
 Chapter: Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
1: Learning Outcomes 
2: Introduction 
3: Legal Issues concerning PR Professionals 
4: Ethical Issues in Public Relations 
?  Conflict of Interest 
5: Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics 
Summary 
Exercise 
Glossary 
References 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  3 
 
 
1. Learning Outcomes  
 
After studying this lesson, you should be able to: 
? define ethics, 
? explain legal issues concerning PR professional, 
? define terms like defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright, trademark, 
? discuss the issues that PR professionals keep in mind about invasion of 
privacy, 
? discuss the aspects that should be kept in mind by the PR department 
relating to copyright laws, 
? explain the concept of Misappropriation of Personality, 
? list the basic guidelines that a PR professional must follow to act ethically, 
? meaning of conflict of interest, 
? discuss the types of conflict of interest a PR professional can come across, 
? discuss corporate social responsibility and ethics. 
 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  4 
 
Introduction  
Learning Outcomes 
Figure: Decisions may be ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’ 
 
 
 
As senior level management personnel, your decisions may be right or wrong. How do you 
guard yourself against making incorrect decisions? The key is referring your decision and its 
impact with ethical conduct. 
 
Ethics, in general, means the principles that guide a human being or an organization?s 
behavior to be morally correct in various situations. 
 
Ethics in public relations is vital for getting into the right kind of public relations activities. 
Also, acting ethical builds credibility and trust of the organization with the public. Ethics 
normally mean differentiating between the right and wrong, and include elements like 
honesty, loyalty, fairness, respect, and straightforward communication. In today?s digital 
age where having the right image in the eyes of the public is most essential. PR 
professionals are being hired by organizations to get the “right image” using whatever 
means, even ignoring the ethical issues. But one should keep in mind that if the behaviour 
of the PR professional and his whole organization is ethical, then the risk of getting into 
legal and regulatory problems becomes minimum. Therefore, it is important for a PR 
professional to know what kind of legal issues he can face while trying to build the 
organization?s image and how he can act ethically in order to achieve the PR goals and 
objectives.   
 
  
Page 5


Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson : Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
 
Course Developer : Amrita Kaur 
 
College/ Department : Bhagat Singh College (Eve), 
Commerce 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  2 
   
Table of Contents  
 Chapter: Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
1: Learning Outcomes 
2: Introduction 
3: Legal Issues concerning PR Professionals 
4: Ethical Issues in Public Relations 
?  Conflict of Interest 
5: Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics 
Summary 
Exercise 
Glossary 
References 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  3 
 
 
1. Learning Outcomes  
 
After studying this lesson, you should be able to: 
? define ethics, 
? explain legal issues concerning PR professional, 
? define terms like defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright, trademark, 
? discuss the issues that PR professionals keep in mind about invasion of 
privacy, 
? discuss the aspects that should be kept in mind by the PR department 
relating to copyright laws, 
? explain the concept of Misappropriation of Personality, 
? list the basic guidelines that a PR professional must follow to act ethically, 
? meaning of conflict of interest, 
? discuss the types of conflict of interest a PR professional can come across, 
? discuss corporate social responsibility and ethics. 
 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  4 
 
Introduction  
Learning Outcomes 
Figure: Decisions may be ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’ 
 
 
 
As senior level management personnel, your decisions may be right or wrong. How do you 
guard yourself against making incorrect decisions? The key is referring your decision and its 
impact with ethical conduct. 
 
Ethics, in general, means the principles that guide a human being or an organization?s 
behavior to be morally correct in various situations. 
 
Ethics in public relations is vital for getting into the right kind of public relations activities. 
Also, acting ethical builds credibility and trust of the organization with the public. Ethics 
normally mean differentiating between the right and wrong, and include elements like 
honesty, loyalty, fairness, respect, and straightforward communication. In today?s digital 
age where having the right image in the eyes of the public is most essential. PR 
professionals are being hired by organizations to get the “right image” using whatever 
means, even ignoring the ethical issues. But one should keep in mind that if the behaviour 
of the PR professional and his whole organization is ethical, then the risk of getting into 
legal and regulatory problems becomes minimum. Therefore, it is important for a PR 
professional to know what kind of legal issues he can face while trying to build the 
organization?s image and how he can act ethically in order to achieve the PR goals and 
objectives.   
 
  
Ethical and Legal Aspects of Public Relations 
Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi.  5 
Legal Issues concerning PR Professionals  
 
1. Defamation 
Any false communication, written or spoken, that unfairly harms the reputation of 
a person is called defamation. Communication in written form, such as in magazine 
or newspaper, is called libel and a communication in oral form is called slander. 
 
Gertzv. Robert Welch Inc, 1974 gives the following common elements of 
defamation: 
? Communication to a third person; 
? Identification of the plaintiff; 
? A statement that holds the plaintiff upto hatred, contempt, or ridicule; and 
? The absence of truth. 
 
    Figure: Process of Defamation 
 
 
 
 
 
There should be a claimant (one who initiates a law suit) whose reputation has 
been negatively hurt because of the false communication that has led to hatred 
and contempt. Defamation could be expensive. A recent example of defamation 
was seen when a Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Sawant sued the „Times