In June 2025, TikTok released a new “Hair Type” feature accessible for users to identify their hair types and textures while making beauty and lifestyle content videos. However, the launch came under public scrutiny when users identified that the feature was missing Type 4 hair, which is also considered as tightly curled or Afro-textured hair…
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The Rise of Ai Advertisement & The Ethical Dilemmas Around Younger Generations
By Perry Joubert Artificial intelligence is changing the landscape and possibilities of digital marketing but as introduced a whole new sector of ethical dilemmas. In the worst cases the rise of AI generated deepfake advertisements that float around social media. These ads manipulate videos, images, and audio of celebrities to promote products. Typically, these celebrities…
Case Study Overview: How Lil Miquela (AI influencer) has affected women’s body image
This case study will cover the ethical implications that artificial intelligence influencers can have on women’s bodies. With a focus on an artificial intelligence influencer called Lil Miquela, who has a substantial following on Instagram. The concept of a perfect body for a woman has evolved significantly across different generations. In the fifties, women wore…
The $200 Million Mind Game: How Big Tech Hacked California Voters
By James Lally In November 2020, California voters faced Proposition 22, a ballot initiative funded primarily by Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash to exempt app-based drivers from state employment law. The campaign became the most expensive ballot measure in U.S. history, with spending surpassing $200 million. But beyond the record price tag, Proposition 22 became a…
Ethical Case Study: The Juvenile Brain in a Chronically Online Society
This case study explores the ethical responsibilities society holds toward protecting the developing juvenile brain in an age where digital connectivity is constant. The analysis integrates neuroscience research, ethical theory, and real-world events involving fear-based online trends. Horror-themed viral challenges, such as the Momo Challenge and Blue Whale Challenge, have spread across platforms like TikTok,…
Ethics Case Study Overview: Political Disinformation and Facebook (A focus on the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election).
Photo by CNN The 2016 U.S. presidential election was one for the books. Let’s quickly talk about it. A celebrity announced that they were running for President of the United States. If that doesn’t sound like a publicity stunt, I don’t know what does. The issue here isn’t so much that, it’s what came following…
Catch the Fever: A Case Study on The Popularity of the WNBA and the Lack of Social Media Coverage
By Lexi Semanchik When you think of watching sports, many people initially think of leagues like the NFL, MLB, or the NBA. The one thing all of these leagues have in common is that they are men’s sports, they’re getting all of the coverage. When you scroll through your television channels, seldom have you seen…
Family Vlogging Through the Lense of Social Media Ethics: Is it Ethical for Minors to be on Monetized Accounts on Social Media?
You Tube is the second largest search engine in the world and has over 2.5 billion users worldwide (GMI.com). With such a massive user base, the world has seen You Tube, along with other social media platforms including Tik Tok and Instagram, become viable ways to build a career by gaining massive followings and…
Exploring Misinformation on Social Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ethics Case Study Overview The coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, created an unprecedented pandemic that sparked increased use of social media to consume emerging information. According to Yuce et al. (2021), COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, which then rapidly spread worldwide to approximately 14 million cases and 582,000…
Potential Employers are Screening Applicants Social Media Accounts, Should They?
Over the last 20 years social media has exploded onto the scene to where a large percentage of Americans have at least 1 social media account. Many adults over 35 years old have had social media accounts for over 20 years, such as sites like Myspace and Face the Jury going back to 2003 and…