Law & Ethics

fabrication

A lie; something made up.

libel

A written defamation of a person's character, reputation, business, or property rights.

Stephen Glass

Journalist for The New Republic known for his fabrications in the article "HacK Heaven."

plagiarism

Taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas.

copyright

A form of protection provided by the US government to authors of "original works of authorship."

prior restraint

Censorship imposed BEFORE a speech is made or a newspaper is published; usually presumed to be unconstitutional, except in Hazelwood Vs. Kuhlmeier.

First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;

defamation of character

Consists of injury to another person's reputation, name or character through spoken (slander) or written (libel) words.

censorship

Control of what people read, write, see or hear; efforts to prohibit free expression of ideas, the suppressing of unacceptable parts.

Freedom of Information Act

FOIA-1966 requires federal agencies to make most of their records available.

Shield Laws

Laws that give reporters some protection against having to reveal their sources.

bias

Prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a subject or issue.

Journalistic Code of Ethics

Seek truth, report it, minimize harm, act independently, be accountable.

slander

Spoken defamation of a person's character, reputation, business, or property rights.

invasion of privacy

Violating a person's right NOT to have his or her name, photo, or private affairs exposed or made public without giving consent.