Ethics and Privacy

Case Memo
Review the following case:

A 7-year-old boy is photographed “limp in the policeman’s arms.” The boy had been swimming in the Sacramento River despite warning signs about strong river currents. Although alive in the photo, he is in critical condition and dies later that same day at a hospital.

The boy’s face is not seen in the photo. But the photo depicts his impending death. A Sacramento Union reporter at the scene sees the family mourning as emergency personnel try to save his life. The reporter learns they are Cambodian refugees.

The photo of the policeman holding the child is the strongest photo of the day for the Sacramento Union. Now editors are faced with difficult decisions.

Should the Sacramento Union run the photo in its print edition and its website? As the day’s strongest photo, should it run on page 1 of the print edition? Will readers be offended by the newspaper depicting the death of a child? The story of a drowning is news but is the photo news or considered sensationalism? If editors didn’t have the photo, would the story make page one in a large city daily newspaper like the Sacramento Union?

In your essay, consider the right to privacy of the family. Consider also the public’s right to know about a terrible outcome by someone who ignored the signs warning of the dangerous waters. After summarizing the case and its ethical challenges, review loyalties, values, and principles before writing your conclusion. Be sure to answer the questions above in your conclusion.

Then, submit the essay noting your name and date at the top (these should also be in the filename). Then, construct a written memo (in essay/narrative format; no headings or bullet points) that evaluates this case and recommends a resolution. Your memo must include the following components:

A summary of the case and the ethical challenge(s) it evokes
A discussion of the five primary loyalties and why it is important to uphold them in this specific case
A discussion of at least three values, why they are challenged in this case, and how they conflict or support each other
Application and discussion of this case to at least two principles
A conclusion that includes a discussion of how your loyalties, values and principles connect, and a resolution for this case stemming from them
You will be graded on the soundness of your reasoning. Your memo should be no more than 800 words, but there is no need to strive for the maximum; you should strive for brevity while being sure to thoroughly address each component of the case framework. Review the grading rubric for details.