Year 10 Media Arts · Responding — Analyse and Evaluate · 11m read

Media Ethics and Representation

Media makers make choices that affect real people. Ethics asks what is fair, honest and respectful.

Learning objective: Evaluate ethical issues in media production and representation.

By the end of this lesson you can:

• I can identify ethical dilemmas in media.
• I can evaluate representation of diverse groups.
• I can apply ethical guidelines.

Media ethics is a balance scale. On one side: freedom to tell stories and report truth. On the other: privacy, harm and fairness. Ethical media makers keep the scale balanced.

Doing the right thing

ETHICAL ISSUES:
• Privacy, consent, accuracy, manipulation (deepfakes, misleading edits), exploitation, cultural respect.

REPRESENTATION:
• Diversity on and off screen; avoiding stereotypes; self-representation by communities.
• Protocols for First Nations content (e.g. Screen Australia guidelines).

AI AND MEDIA:
• Synthetic media, deepfakes, disclosure, consent.

| Ethical principle | Question |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | Is it true and verified? |
| Fairness | Are all sides represented? |
| Privacy | Do we have consent? |
| Harm minimisation | Could this hurt someone? |
| Diversity | Who is represented and how? |
| Transparency | Are sponsorships disclosed? |

Key ideas at a glance

• Consent first: Especially minors.
• Avoid stereotypes: Represent complexity.
• Disclose interests: #ad, sponsorship.
• Consider impact: On subjects and audiences.

Worked example (Hard)

Is it ethical to use a deepfake of a real person in a comedy sketch?

1. Issues. Consent, potential harm, misleading audiences.
2. Considerations. Clear labelling, satire protections, personal impact.
3. Judgement. Only with consent and clear disclosure; otherwise unethical.

Answer: Ethical only with consent and clear disclosure.

Worked example (Hard)

A student filmed a classmate crying after a loss and wants to post it. Evaluate ethically.

1. Consent. No permission given.
2. Harm. Could cause embarrassment and bullying.
3. Privacy. Vulnerable moment.
4. Decision. Don't post without informed consent.

Answer: Posting would breach privacy and risk harm — don't post without consent.

Common mistakes

• Assuming legal means ethical Legal and ethical can differ. Fix: Consider harm and fairness.
• "It's public, so it's fine" Ignores harm and dignity. Fix: Consider impact, not just legality.

Codes of ethics

Journalists in Australia follow the MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics: report honestly, respect privacy, avoid discrimination, disclose conflicts of interest.

The Australian Press Council handles complaints about print and online news.

Practice questions

1. Synthetic video imitating a real person is a:

   1. Montage
   2. Deepfake
   3. Documentary
   4. Logline

   (1 marks)

2. Why is self-representation important?

   (2 marks)

3. Which principle asks "Is it true?"

   1. Privacy
   2. Accuracy
   3. Diversity
   4. Transparency

   (1 marks)

4. The MEAA Code applies to:

   1. Journalists
   2. Dancers
   3. Athletes
   4. Chefs

   (1 marks)

5. Explain an ethical issue in reality TV.

   (2 marks)

Summary

• Privacy, consent, accuracy.
• Fair representation.
• AI and synthetic media ethics.
• Balance freedom with accuracy, privacy and harm.