HIDDEN CAMERA as part of a Network News Social Experiment? continued

Part 4 of 4

ABC News Should Stick with NEWS & JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS & ETHIC
ABC & 20/20 clearly will never accept the standard protocols of the academic/research community in conducting "social experiments," therefore these so-called producers & journalists should stick to news.

Once again there are standards, practices and ethics of of a profession to follow, and ABC News is not above those standards and these hidden camera reports are in violation of such standards. Here’s the link and info from the Poynter Institute that I use for my classes. I don’t see how this story meets these criteria.

Justifying Deception/Misrepresentation/Hidden Cameras in Newsgathering? (FROM THE POYNTER INSTITUTE)
(You Must Fulfill All of the Criteria to Justify Your Actions.)

• When the information obtained is of profound importance.
• It must be of vital public interest, such as revealing great "system failure"
• At the top levels, or it must prevent profound harm to individuals.
• When all other alternatives for obtaining the same information have been exhausted.
• When the journalists involved are willing to disclose the nature of the deception and the reason for it.
• When the individuals involved and their news organization apply excellence, through outstanding craftsmanship as well as the commitment of time and funding needed to pursue the story fully.
• When the harm prevented by the information revealed through deception outweighs any harm caused by the act of deception.
• When the journalists involved have conducted a meaningful, collaborative, and deliberative decision-making process on the ethical and legal issues.