Hello Everyone,
The responsibility for managing fake news should primarily fall on the consumers. With that being said, no business should intentionally put forth misleading information. The federal Lanham Act allows civil lawsuits for false advertising. Not only is that unethical to do but can cause a drop in a company’s reputation causing revenue loss.
Whether it is unethical for companies to allow ads to run on controversial websites, I feel depends on the circumstances and what the company believes in. In a broad sense, I feel if you are promoting weight loss drugs on a website that has incorrect data that would be unethical. Promoting on a website with hate speech, a First Amendment-protected right, would be very unethical even if it brought in a boost in revenue.
Based on this case, the module resources, and your own experience, answer these questions:
- Who has or should have primary responsibility for managing fake news and its consequences (i.e., social media companies, advertising companies, business, everyday citizens, government authorities, or others)? Why?
- Is it unethical for a company to allow its ads to run on a controversial website?such as one that is promoting untested scientific data or one that includes what is commonly accepted as hate speech?even if doing so generates significant revenue for the company? Explain your position.
In your response posts to your peers, share your own viewpoints and experience.
