Privacy issues

Every human being is entitled to his' her own privacy, right? The word privacy by definition is freedom from authorized intrusion. Most Americans feel as if that they have the right as citizens of the United States to a certain amount of privacy. In some forms of journalism, there exists no such thing. It can sometimes be a tough issue to deal with just simply because of the fact that readers love to read about other people's personal lives. This fact alone ties privacy back to ethics in journalism. The big question is: Is Invasion of Privacy OK in some situations? My answer to this question is yes simply because it may bring the truth out. I answered the question yes but also feel like invasion of privacy can sometimes be wrong based on what it is you are "chasing." Of course if you are genuinely after the truth and nothing else I feel like Invasion of Privacy is necessary, but if you just want to increase readership or your bank account it is simply out of the question.

In terms of media law, protecting privacy is broken down into three parts:

Private facts- Protects people from the release of embarrassing or sensitive information that is not essential to a news story.

Intrusion- Keeps members of the press from intruding into people's homes or privacy in order to get a news story. Examples of this includes tapped phone lines or secret recordings.

Appropriation- Privacy law that states that every individual has a right to their own image and name. It also states that neither can be used without the permission of the person unless in the reporting of news.