Ethics question

mistersqueegee

mistersqueegee

New member
Just wanted the groups feedback. If you had a picture (even something publicly shared by that person) and photoshopped it to make it appear they endorsed a product they didn't would that be ethical?
What if the person was a manufacturer of a product and you did it to make it appear they endorsed their competitor's product? Does that now venture into illegal and not just unethical?
 
mistersqueegee said:
Just wanted the groups feedback. If you had a picture (even something publicly shared by that person) and photoshopped it to make it appear they endorsed a product they didn't would that be ethical?
What if the person was a manufacturer of a product and you did it to make it appear they endorsed their competitor's product? Does that now venture into illegal and not just unethical?
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Tony, If I understand the first question correctly the answer would be NO. I don't believe that would be ethical at all. Question # two ; I'm not a lawyer by no means but if I were a manufacturer of a product and someone did that to me I'm sure a lawsuit would promptly follow! Both scenarios are unethical in my mind and most likely illegal.
 
Rance said:
Tony, If I understand the first question correctly the answer would be NO. I don't believe that would be ethical at all. Question # two ; I'm not a lawyer by no means but if I were a manufacturer of a product and someone did that to me I'm sure a lawsuit would promptly follow! Both scenarios are unethical in my mind and most likely illegal.
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Rance, very well said. I couldn't agree more.
 
Do you not have a conscience? In what world would this be ethical? It bothers me that you are asking this question.
 
Lenny, I'm not even remotely considering doing this. I have seen it done by others and it bothers me so that's why I've brought it up. Clearly you don't know me if you believe I would do this.
 
That sounds very wrong, unethical and others need to know the truth. What a shame.
 
I wouldn't care if it was a cleaner, a manufacturer, the pope or the president. if its done to deceive someone , its wrong.
 
mistersqueegee said:
Just wanted the groups feedback. If you had a picture (even something publicly shared by that person) and photoshopped it to make it appear they endorsed a product they didn't would that be ethical?
What if the person was a manufacturer of a product and you did it to make it appear they endorsed their competitor's product? Does that now venture into illegal and not just unethical?
Click to expand...
What do you mean exactly by "publically shared?" There are laws about using and/or doctoring any type of photo/artwork that is copyrighted -- and anything you create is copyrighted unless you let people know it's public domain. (i.e., it doesn't have to have the copyright symbol actually on it.) So this would likely be illegal in any situation unless express permission was used to doctor the photo.
 
Allison Hester said:
What do you mean exactly by "publically shared?" There are laws about using and/or doctoring any type of photo/artwork that is copyrighted -- and anything you create is copyrighted unless you let people know it's public domain. (i.e., it doesn't have to have the copyright symbol actually on it.) So this would likely be illegal in any situation unless express permission was used to doctor the photo.
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Good points Allison
 
mistersqueegee said:
In your opinion Chris, would it be worse if it were being done by a supply house or manufacturer as opposed to a cleaner doing it?
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It is bad no matter who does it but when a vendor/manufacturer does it, it really shows their lack of ethics and scruples.

Care to hint to who it was?

I know of one or two distributors that seemed like they would do something like this so I keep an eye on them.
 
So if I understand you correct Jeremy. A person steals a pic and the hyperlink and so the owner changes the pic for that link to a pornographic one. It sounds like the thief got a lesson in ethics to me.
 
Allison Hester said:
What do you mean exactly by "publically shared?" There are laws about using and/or doctoring any type of photo/artwork that is copyrighted -- and anything you create is copyrighted unless you let people know it's public domain. (i.e., it doesn't have to have the copyright symbol actually on it.) So this would likely be illegal in any situation unless express permission was used to doctor the photo.
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Excellent points Allison.
 
mistersqueegee said:
Just wanted the groups feedback. If you had a picture (even something publicly shared by that person) and photoshopped it to make it appear they endorsed a product they didn't would that be ethical?
What if the person was a manufacturer of a product and you did it to make it appear they endorsed their competitor's product? Does that now venture into illegal and not just unethical?
Click to expand...

Why dont you just say who did what? Why continue to languish in vagaries?
 
Chris WCR said:
Why dont you just say who did what? Why continue to languish in vagaries?
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I'm not languishing in vagaries. I'm getting a ton of good feedback here from other pros. This could be a hypothetical situation or it could be real. If it's real the person or persons doing it could have something to worry about or not depending on whether the individual targeted this way (if that person is real) decides to pursue legal action.
Let me ask you this Chris - do you think such actions are ethical?
 
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mistersqueegee said:
I'm not languishing in vagaries. I'm getting a ton of good feedback here from other pros. This could be a hypothetical situation or it could be real. If it's real the person or persons doing it could have something to worry about or not depending on whether the individual targeted this way (if that person is real) decides to pursue legal action.
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Feedback? On what? We have no information to go off of nor do we know both sides to whatever your talking about. Seems like by your answer there is a situation now that you're trying to get at. Did someone do something to you?
 
Jeremy - if you read the others posts you'll see overwhelmingly that those posting think a scenario like this is unethical. Do you really need names and details? Would it change your opinion if it was a friend of yours treating someone else unethically?
I will go so far as to say there is a picture that has been doctored by a competitor to the individual pictured. They did it in such a way as to show that person encouraging the purchase of a product that he doesn't sell.
Let me ask you another question Jeremy - if a local competitor of your's took a picture of you and had you saying you recommend people use his service would that be OK with you?
 
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