Reference no: EM133083824

Ethical Issue of boycotting companies, celebrities, others

In some instances, companies (as well as celebrities and others) have been boycotted because of their speech on or support of certain issues. In some instances this involves boycotting advertisers who are threatened with non-purchase of their products if they continue to advertise on that show or use that celebrity.

Some past boycotts include (in 1960s) the United Farmworkers urging the boycott of grapes and lettuce in grocery stores to support their efforts to better working conditions for farm labor; LGBT groups proposing boycott of Coors because of their hiring practices; Bill Maher "Politically Incorrect" show boycott of advertisers after his 9/11 comments.

More recently there was the boycott of Goya Food products because its CEO praised Trump after an event he attended at the White House. (Apparently there was also a more recent boycott attempt on his newer show (Real Time with Bill Maher) by Congress person Tlaib.)

In the past, boycotts would be accomplished by concerned groups getting their message out by protesting in public and getting the press to cover their calls to boycott. Today, such initiatives can be intensified through the use of social media to propose a boycott to the masses.

Discussion Question:

There is no law against simply urging a boycott by the public of a product or a company (or show) or urging the public not to purchase the products of advertisers on that show. Although this type of boycott is legal, is it ethical? Utilize your knowledge of analyzing ethical issues (i.e., stakeholder effects) to explain your answer to this question. (If ethical, are there circumstances where it is not ethical?) Do the benefits outweigh the costs?