Includes bibliographical references and index.

American law, the legal system, and the judicial processes -- Media ethics : a cognitive framework -- Prior restraint -- Defamation -- Right of privacy -- Indecency and obscenity -- Digital and social media -- Corporate and commercial speech -- Intellectual property -- International and foreign law.

"This comprehensive textbook provides a thoughtful introduction to both the legal and ethical considerations relevant to students pursuing careers in communication and media. The fully revised, sixth edition continues to integrate fundamental legal and ethical principles with cases and examples from both landmark moments and recent history. It expands upon the previous edition's exploration of international and non-US law, introduces a new chapter on digital and social media, and incorporates discussion of new technologies and media throughout its coverage of core topics such as privacy, intellectual property, defamation, and commercial speech. Coverage of recent court cases and congressional hearings brings readers up to date on the evolving discussion surrounding Facebook, Twitter, and today's other major online players. This hybrid textbook is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in media and communication that combine law and ethics. Online resources including chapter PowerPoint slides, study guides, and sample teaching materials are available at www.routledge.com/cw/moore"--