The media and

information age has been the

subject of much legal, ethical
and societal controversy.
While its overall positive
implications are undeniable,
there are issues that come
along with it.
Defamation is a statement that injures a third
party’s reputation.The civil wrong of defamation
includes both libel and slander.

To win a defamation case, a plaintiff must show

four things:
1. A declaration that a false statement is fact;
2. Publication or communication of that
statement to a third person;
3. Fault;
4. Damages to the subject (person, institution,
etc.) of the statement.
 With the existence of the new
media, everyone is at liberty
contribute and post information
online. The problem with this
evolutionary form of media is the
lack of check and balance that
traditional media requires. Often,
those who post their opinions are
taken as facts that may sometimes
result to defamation.
 Privacy in this context is defined as
the freedom from unauthorized intrusion.
Also called as one’s right to privacy, it
refers to the concept that one’s personal
information is protected from public
scrutiny. This age of information has made
it difficult for this right to be asserted.
 Various social media platforms
have incorporated privacy functions on
their websites. This allows their users to
choose which information they want to
share and to whom they want to share
it with. Blocking and reporting abusive
users have also been made available as
an added security feature. These efforts,
along with current provisions in the law
help in ensuring everyone’s right to
privacy. However, it is important to
note that self-discretion goes a long
way in protecting one’s privacy.
 Obscenity and pornography although
related, are not the same. Pornography is the
term used to refer to any material that uses
the elements of nudity to cause sexual
arousal among the audience. A pornographic
material is considered obscene when it
crosses a line to a point that may be
offensive.The concept of what’s obscene and
what’s not in pornographic content may be
vague or subjective.This is because what
might be obscene in one sector of society
can be totally acceptable in another.
 Copyright in its literal sense means
the right to copy.The owner of a copyright
has the exclusive right to reproduce,
distribute, perform, display, license, and to
prepare derivative works based on the
copyrighted work. This protection is for
“original works of authorship”. It applies
to intellectual properties like images
(graphic designs, photos, drawings, etc.),
written works (books, manuscripts,
publications, etc.), audio content (music
and any other sound recordings), and
performance arts (play, movies, shows, and
etc.).
 A person or entities violating
copyright commits plagiarism. Plagiarism
takes place when someone else’s work is
used by a different person and claimed it
as his or her own. This act of stealing can
be avoided by acknowledging the source
or the original creator through citations.
The exclusive rights of the
copyright owner are subject to limitation
by the doctrine of “fair use”. Fair use of a
copyrighted work for purposes such as
criticism, comment, news reporting,
teaching, scholarship, or research is not
copyright infringement.
 Basic ethical orientation refers to the
ethical perception of an individual. It is the
reasoning behind his or her moral judgments
and ethical practices.The following are types
of basic ethical orientation.

• Being good is equivalent to doing whatever

the Bible-- or the Qur’an or some other
sacred text or source of revelation– tells one
to do.
• “What is right” equals “What God tells me
to do.”
• Conscience dictates what is right or wrong
• Often has a religious source

• Maybe founded on a notion of human nature

• Is often negative in character, telling people

what is not right

• Says the only person to look out for is oneself

• Begins with the conviction that ethics is about

doing what is right, about doing one’s duty.
• Duty may be determined by reason,
professional role, and social role.
• Human interactions should be governed
by rules of respect
• What counts as respect can vary from
one culture to another

• Seeks to reduce suffering and increase

pleasure or happiness
• Demands a high degree of self-sacrifice—
considers the consequences for everyone.
• Utilitarians claim the purpose of
morality is to make the world a better
place.
• What is fair for one should be fair for all.
• Treating people equally may not mean
treating them the same.

• Seeks to develop individual character

• Assumes good persons will make good
decisions
• Developed by Plato and Aristotle

• The Spiritual Exercises

• Provides a way of integrating all the

theories