ETHICAL DILEMMA
Today, we are going to start with a different type of "ethical dilemma". For the next five minutes, I want you to write down everything you know and learned about the ethics of advertising in the digital age. Some areas of consideration include:
- What is the role of advertisers and clients when it comes to digital forms of advertising?
- What is the role of the consumer in this digital age?
- What are the ethical issues and concerns in this digital age?
- What have you learned about what to do/what not to do as it pertains to advertising in this digital age?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Advertisers must provide truthful information, this means ommitting the use if immersive advertising. Advertisers must also consider violation of privacy and consent to advertise to consumers.
ReplyDeleteConsumers must educate themselves. They must check the sources of digital advertising and consumer blog sites.
Some ethical issues are invasion of privacy and consent to advertise. there are concirns in how information is gathered on peoples online activities and than how the information is used by advertisers.
Ive learned to advise clients to be as honest as possible when dealing with online advertising also to check and abide by all regulations set inplace for consumer privacy. These laws are increasingly becomming more strict.
also advertisers must avoid manipulation of consent through inducement
ReplyDeleteGood takeaway, Correne. Pop quiz: what is the term used to describe user's online/Web site activity that advertisers then use to sell us ads?
ReplyDeleteunauthorized data collection? not sure
ReplyDelete"Behavioral targeting", in which advertisers and/or online sites are tracking users online behaviors, i.e. what sites they visit, what pages they visit, how long they stay on those pages, etc. This information is then often sold to third parties.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so today we will continue our discussion from last Thursday regarding the ethics of consumption and consumer purchase behavior.
ReplyDeleteLet's start with a general question to help us set the stage. Can you define, in your own words, what is “moral responsibility”?
I'm here!!!
ReplyDeleteFrankie - you are late again. Please answer the most recent question re: moral responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI would say it is an obligation for advertisers and consumers to act responsibly when dealing morals that effect everyone globaly in regards to consumption and production
ReplyDeleteAdvertisers need to communicate well with their clients consumers and everybody else that might be involved. communication is key to understanding what is going on in the advertising. there also must be legal information and hard proof information to support why this advertising will work and who their target is etc. there also must be the technical jargon to avoid any confusion or chances to be sued.
ReplyDeletemorals kind of tie into personal guidelines like ethics, so the two, moral responsibility, means to have truthful information that everybody is obligated to know about
ReplyDeleteYou both have an interesting perspective on the term "moral responsibility". A more technical defition is the following: a person has moral responsibility for a situation if that person has an obligation to ensure that something happens. For example: John promises to baby-sit for his neighbor while she goes to a job interview. However, he decides he will go to a concert instead. John has moral responsibility for finding another appropriate babysitter for his neighbor.
ReplyDeletePeople who have moral responsibility for an action are usually called “moral agents”. These are individuals that are capable of reflecting on their situation, forming intentions about how they will act, and then carrying out that action.
Can you provide an example of a business or brand that acts and carries out business in a morally responsible manner?
ReplyDeletewow we were way off I thought it was on the topic of consumption
ReplyDeleteWe are still on the topic of consumption. You were given a handout of articles in class to read last Thursday...
ReplyDeletecelebrities that cannot make it to an opening or decides to not be part of a brand at the last minute. somebody has to replace their status and image at that brand or representative.
ReplyDeletean example of that is a night club that paris hilton was suppose to open, but she came hours after the open date so to open it up for her it was her little sister, the less popular hilton
Im not sure how we would know for sure if any business had a good concious in their day to day practices. I owuld have to say maybe nonprofit organizations like The Susan G. Comen maybe because their intent is already for the public
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a good point, Correne. We don't know the daily actions of an organization. So with that being said, what is the role of the consumer with regards to moral responsibility?
ReplyDeleteTo educate themselves on every aspect of decisions that may effect them, dont assume business enact self regulation or FTC is aware
ReplyDeleteGood point. Probably the one big takeaway from this ethics class, especially as we are all consumers, is the idea of educating ourselves. The consumer has just as big a role to play as advertisers and clients do when it comes to ethical advertising and business practices.
ReplyDeleteRelating the idea of "moral responsibility" to the idea of consumption, as consumers, we are seeking leadership from businesses and advertisers in the area of product creation, product consumption + ethics.
There is a link between the manufacturers of goods and the ethical actions consumer take. An article you were given to read makes the following statement: “If producers don’t give up some profits to act ethically, then why should I give up some of my hard-earned money?”
Similarly, another article in your packet entitled “Consumer Ethics Research” states that “...the view of consumers is still largely as amoral, self-interested, rational-economically motivated individuals with no responsibilities other than to met their own needs, and honor their end of any bargain with companies. The “ethical consumer” is still treated as an exceptional or abnormal sub-type of consumers.”
ReplyDeleteWhat are your thoughts on this statement? Do you agree/disagree – from the perspective being a consumer and from the perspective of an advertising major?
the majority of the consumers do fall into that category of thinking for themselves because it is themselves that will be affected in the end. it doesn't matter what food or clothes they buy if it is meant for them because it is based off of a subjective point of view.
ReplyDeletethe ethical consumer is at a smaller percent, and I do mean true ethical consumers that look at the products and who made them and if they are linked to any cause. not the ones that just debate on one brand over the other when there is pricing involved.
This is true- consumers are still largely self motivated. It has only beeb recently, thanks to advertising, than people have have been more concious of the greater good of larger issues like the environment. People/consumers dont typically educate themselves and rely largely on advertising and media, another form of advertising, for information.
ReplyDeleteIn the same article I quoted above, it also states that “a responsible consumer [is] a socially-aware consumer [who] thinks ahead and tempers his or her desires by [being] socially aware…who must occasionally be prepared to sacrifice”.
ReplyDeleteA takeaway from this discussion could be that while we think we are acting and behaving in an ethically responsible way (with the items we purchase), we are often swayed by the item's price, promotion, what a competing brand is offering, what our peers are wearing or buying, etc.
When it comes to “business ethics”, should the focus of ethics rest on the consumer versus the producer or seller of the product since it is the consumer consuming the product?
ReplyDeletethe focus on ethics should rely on the business. they are the ones creating, selling, promoting the items, they should know what they are releasing to the public in every way. if a consumer asks where it came from and who made it, they should be able to tell you which country etc and be open to give out information that is for the public to know
ReplyDeleteThe ethical responsibility is shared by consumer and producer. Consumers need to play catch up though with educating themselves and deciding ethical purchase decisions
ReplyDeleteGood ideas, Frankie, on the responsibilities of the business producing the product or service.
ReplyDeleteOn the flipside,bbusinesses orientate their behavior around the wants, preferences and priorities of the consumer. So... both business and consumer appear to have equal moral responsibility when it comes to purchasing and consuming products and services.
i agree with correne. it is a two sided deal, but i still feel that the focus should be business more so than consumers. consumer do not always know what they are getting themselves into or even know how to find the information they need to find out
ReplyDeleteLet’s talk about another form of responsibility - “social responsibility”. Can you, in your own words, define “social responsibility”?
ReplyDeleteAs advertisers we have a social responsibility. We make advertisments that effect the views and opinions of the public i.e. stereotypical ads will feed narrow minded views of the public and have social implications
ReplyDeleteif its anything like moral responsibility, i view it as the public having a responsibility to act accordingly to a certain situation.
ReplyDeleteYou are both right, in your own words.
ReplyDeleteThe technical definition of "social responsibility" is... An organization (or individual) has a responsibility to society to act in a positive, proactive manner. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can also be classified as self-regulation interweaved into the business model, whereby businesses embrace responsibility for the impact of their activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, and all other members of the public.
The concept of “corporate social responsibility” has become so widely accepted that most companies realize that they have moral responsibilities that go beyond meeting the needs of the consumer, such as protecting the environment.
What are some companies or brands that are known for their positive social responsibility?
ReplyDeleteAny ideas?
ReplyDeleteany non-profit organization
ReplyDeleteApple, they have great benefits for employees and other extra supports. They are also very environmentaly safe
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty vague, Frankie. Can you narrow it down to something you are familiar with?
ReplyDeleteThat's a good example, Correne. Another biggie is Starbucks. (When you have time, check out: http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/businessethicsandcompliance.asp)
ReplyDeleteLet’s switch topics and discuss the idea of media’s impact on consumer product choices and consumption. The article entitled “The Oprah Influence” discusses the idea of “consumer sovereignty”.
ReplyDeleteWhat is “consumer sovereignty”?
Clorox in their new line of all natural products call green works.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to take your word for it Frankie, since I'm not a Clorox user!
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts on the topic of what is "consumer sovereignty"?
ReplyDeleteThe consumer determines weather the business fails
ReplyDeleteits the consumer who determines whether a business succeeds or fails
ReplyDeleteright on correne, high five *smacks hand in air*
ReplyDeletenow down low
Exactly! Consumer sovereignty is a concept in which the consumer who decides which businesses fail or succeed. Consumers have the right to choose which products they will consume and at what rate.
ReplyDeleteHow does media and advertising impact consumer sovereignty?
ReplyDeleteMedia sways the consumers buying decision so this will have an influence on the company's sucess through the consumer
ReplyDeletewell with the oprah example, she has a major influence because she has a positive impact on society. she doesn't have to say a brand name to get people to change their buying habits.
ReplyDeleteit has a major impact, especially if its from a reliable source that can prove that one way of living is better than another
On a positive note, media and advertising brings about awareness to a topic (such as obesity). On a more controversial note, media and advertising directly impact taste and preferences which in turn changes the demand for a product.
ReplyDeleteETHICS HOMEWORK REMINDER
ReplyDelete- Review the articles I handed out to you in class last Thursday re: ethics of consumption
- Read Chapter 9 in textbook
- Article Journaling answers for Wednesday, April 29th at 12pm
If you have questions/concerns as you work on your Research project today, please contact me.