Undercover journalism?

Question

Is it considered ethical?

Answer 1

What is considered ethical? I have taken a Criminal Justice Ethics class for my Criminal Justice bachelors degree. Undercover journalism can be both great, and hurtful. In terms of undercover journalism that has been going on related to phishing scams, and email scams its a wonderful ethical position. It's going to take knowledge to expose the many scams out there today. Also the work being done to catch child predators by undercover journalists working with authoritys posing as minors in an attempt to make arrests is making many sex offenders think twice about commiting the crime. However, if a journalist is going undercover in a scheme to get into somebody's life by posing as somebody close to them, when they have done nothing wrong, that is extremely unethical. so the best way i can answer he question is that undercover journalism can be both ethical and unethical depending on who's eyes its viewed through.

Answer 2

Undercover journalism is acceptable in most western nations but It depends on which country you are in. The US has very few rules that govern the conduct of the media. What can be done in the US can be illegal in many other countries. In Australia journalists are not allowed to print the name or photograph a sex victim or of someone who is a juvenile even if he has committed a crime. Libel and slander laws in Britain and Australia are much more stringent. In some countries it is against the law to criticise the government (Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia are prime examples). In Thailand it is illegal to criticise the King.
In Australia the journalists have a 'code of ethics' which they enforce upon themselves and, they have even pressured the government to enforce some of those rules as laws.

Answer 3

All depends on the specifics.

How big is the issue you're looking into vs. how big or dangerous or unlawful the acts performed were to get the story.

For example, pretending to be a licensed pilot to get a story about drunk pilots is a danger to passengers.

Getting yourself hired by a company, signing employment agreements and depositing the paychecks while investigating them is illegal (fraud, breach of contract, etc.) and most would say unethical (and those who don't say it's unethical are saying that the ends justify your means because they're on your side about the ends).

That said, I've done undercover stuff, but did so in what I always thought were ethical ways and the story was worth it.

Answer 4

I believe ethics went out the window along time ago with journalists. So I guess as long as no one is hurt by it, its ok.

Answer 5

it could be wonderful to instruct politicians duty and genuine honesty. i could fairly prefer to work out all of the terrible politically-oriented secrets and techniques that value thousands of greenbacks and make the equipment unfair and biased be pulled out from the equipment. on the comparable time, i think of we could be scared by potential of ways lots dirt we've swept under the sofa.