Course Information

Semester	Course Unit Code	Course Unit Title	T+P+L	Credit	Number of ECTS Credits	Last Updated Date
3	GRF209	Law and Ethics in Communication	3+0+0	3	3	03.11.2025

Course Details

Language of Instruction	Turkish
Level of Course Unit	Associate Degree
Department / Program	Graphic Design
Type of Program	Formal Education
Type of Course Unit	Compulsory
Course Delivery Method	Face To Face
Objectives of the Course	The aim of this course is to inform students about media ethics and the historical development of ethical rules. Students will analyze unethical practices and gain the ability to evaluate media events from an ethical perspective.
Course Content	This course includes basic concepts of communication and media law, freedom of communication and its limitations, national and international media regulations, ethical issues in journalism, ethical rules in advertising and public relations, ethical and legal responsibilities in new media and digital platforms, censorship, disinformation, and hate speech, as well as RTÜK and other regulatory bodies. Additionally, students learn to analyze and evaluate cases within the framework of media ethics.
Course Methods and Techniques	The course will be conducted both theoretically and practically. Students will analyze media ethics, examine unethical practices, and evaluate events from an ethical perspective.
Prerequisites and co-requisities	None
Course Coordinator	None
Name of Lecturers	Instructor Betül GÜNDOĞAN
Assistants	None
Work Placement(s)	No

Recommended or Required Reading

Resources	Barendt, E. (2016). Freedom of Speech. Oxford University Press. Ward, S. J. A. (2019). Ethics and the Media: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Course Notes	The following resources will be used throughout the course: "Media Ethics: Issues and Cases" by Philip Patterson and Lee Wilkins "The Elements of Journalism" by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel "Ethics in Media Communications: Cases and Controversies" by Louis A. Day "Journalism Ethics: A Philosophical Approach" by Christopher Meyers "Media Ethics: Key Principles for Responsible Practice" by Patrick Lee Plaisance
Exams	Ara Sınav Proje, Final Sınav Proje

Course Category

Social Sciences	%50
Field	%50

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria

ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload

Activities	Quantity	Duration	Total Work Load
Course Duration	14	3	42
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud	14	1	14
Assignments	1	6	6
Mid-terms	1	10	10
Final examination	1	15	15
Total Work Load			Number of ECTS Credits 3 87

Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

No	Learning Outcomes
1	Explains the basic concepts of communication law and ethical principles.
2	Evaluates freedom of communication and its limitations in legal and ethical contexts.
3	Analyzes legal and ethical responsibilities in media and digital platforms.
4	Identifies ethical violations in communication processes and develops solutions.
5	Approaches current legal and ethical issues with a critical perspective.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week	Topics	Study Materials	Materials
1	• Course Introduction and Basic Concepts • What is Communication Law and Ethics? • Philosophy of Ethics, its origin, history
2	• Freedom of Communication and its Legal Basis • National and International Legal Regulations
3	• Press Law: Legal Framework of Periodical and Non-Periodical Publications • News Gathering and Publishing Ethics • Journalism Ethics
4	• Radio and Television Broadcasting Law • Television Ethics, Visual Ethics • RTÜK and Regulatory Mechanisms
5	• Digital Media and Internet Law • Cybercrimes and Digital Ethics • Cyberspace Ethics
6	• Law and Ethics in Advertising • Deceptive Advertising and its Legal Consequences
7	• Ethical Principles in Public Relations • Transparency and Accountability
8	• Midterm Exam and Case Analyses
9	• Discrimination and Stereotypes in the Media • Racism, Sexism, and Prejudice
10	• Concepts of Censorship and Self-Censorship • Free Press and Democratic Society
11	• Ethics of Conflict and War Journalism • Privacy of Personal Life and the Balance of Public Interest
12	• Internet Ethics • Cybercrimes • New Media and Social Media Ethics • Digital Privacy and Data Security
13	• Artificial Intelligence and Ethical Issues in the Media • Artificial Intelligence Ethics • Deepfakes and their Legal Implications
14	• General Evaluation and Discussion • Current Case Analyses and Student Presentations

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

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https://obs.gedik.edu.tr/oibs/bologna/progCourseDetails.aspx?curCourse=237924&curProgID=55&lang=en