Ethics and Legal Issues in PR and Digital Communications #255012

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify and analyze potential ethical dilemmas and legal issues in PR and digital campaigns.

• Apply professional codes of ethics (e.g., PRSA, CIPR, IABC) and key legal frameworks to real-world scenarios.

• Ensure compliance with regulations concerning disclosure (FTC guidelines), data privacy (GDPR, CCPA), and intellectual property.

• Manage digital risks related to defamation, copyright infringement, and user-generated content.

• Develop crisis communication strategies that are both effective and ethically sound.

• Implement internal protocols and training to foster a culture of ethical practice and legal compliance within their organization.

This course is essential for any professional who creates, manages, or distributes digital content on behalf of a brand or organization:

• PR Managers, Directors, and Account Executives (in-house and agency)

• Social Media Managers and Community Managers

• Content Marketing Managers and Strategists

• Corporate Communications Directors

• Influencer Relations Managers

• Marketing Managers overseeing digital campaigns

• Digital Strategists and Consultants

• Small Business Owners managing their own communications

• Pre-assessment
• Live group instruction
• Use of real-world examples, case studies and exercises
• Interactive participation and discussion
• Power point presentation, LCD and flip chart
• Group activities and tests
• Each participant receives a binder containing a copy of the presentation
• slides and handouts
• Post-assessment

Day 1: The Foundation: Ethics, Law, and Professional Codes

• Morning Session: The Ethical Landscape for Modern Communicators

  • Why Ethics Matter: Trust, reputation, and the social responsibility of PR.

  • Core Ethical Principles: Transparency, honesty, fairness, loyalty, and accountability.

  • Navigating Ethical Dilemmas: A framework for ethical decision-making.

• Afternoon Session: Introduction to Key Legal Concepts

  • Overview of the Legal System: How it applies to digital speech.

  • The Difference Between Ethics and Law: What you must do vs. what you should do.

  • Case Study: Analyze a famous PR scandal through both an ethical and legal lens.

Day 2: Transparency, Disclosure, and Influencer Marketing

• Morning Session: The Rules of Disclosure

  • FTC Endorsement Guidelines: Clear and conspicuous disclosure for influencers, affiliates, and employees.

  • Native Advertising and Sponsored Content: How to label it properly.

  • Astroturfing: The ethical and legal risks of fake grassroots campaigns.

• Afternoon Session: Managing Influencer & Partner Relationships

  • Contractual Essentials: Deliverables, disclosure, exclusivity, and indemnification.

  • Monitoring and Enforcing Compliance with partners.

  • Workshop: Review real influencer posts and determine if they meet FTC guidelines.

Day 3: Digital Risks: Defamation, IP, and User-Generated Content

• Morning Session: Avoiding Defamation and Protecting Reputation

  • Libel vs. Slander: Definitions and defenses in the digital context.

  • The Risks of Review Management: When does takedown become suppression?

  • Managing Negative Comments without escalating legal risk.

• Afternoon Session: Intellectual Property in the Digital Space

  • Copyright Law: Using images, music, and text (fair use, licensing).

  • Trademark Law: Brand mentions, hashtags, and competitive campaigns.

  • Practical Exercise: Conduct an audit of a company’s blog or social media for potential IP infringement.

Day 4: Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Digital Crisis

• Morning Session: The Privacy Imperative

  • GDPR, CCPA, and other Global Privacy Regulations: What communicators need to know.

  • Ethical Data Collection and Use: Consent, transparency, and purpose limitation.

  • Writing Privacy-Compliant Copy for websites and campaigns.

• Afternoon Session: Crisis Communication in the Digital Age

  • Legal Holds and Spoliation: Preserving evidence when a crisis hits.

  • Ethical Obligations During a Crisis: Transparency vs. legal liability.

  • Simulation: Manage a data breach crisis, balancing PR messaging with legal advice.

Day 5: Building an Ethical Culture and Capstone

• Morning Session: Implementing Compliance & Training

  • Creating Internal Social Media Policies and Ethical Guidelines.

  • Training Spokespeople and Employees on ethical and legal boundaries.

  • Working Effectively with Legal Counsel.

• Afternoon Session: Capstone Application

  • Final Scenario: Groups are presented with a complex, multi-issue case involving a proposed campaign that has ethical ambiguities and legal risks. They must:

    1. Identify all potential issues.

    2. Develop a plan to mitigate risks.

    3. Decide whether to proceed, and if so, how.

    4. Present their decision and rationale.

  • Course Recap: Key takeaways and resources for staying current.

  • Certification of Completion.