Is Posting Dilbert Cartoons Ethical? 9

[Haf]

Starting a few months ago, someone has been posting Dilbert cartoons in the men's restrooms in our building. I'm a big Dilbert fan and found the cartoons very funny. In fact, I still laugh when I re-read some of them for the 50th time.

One of the recent postings hit a little too close to home for our management. In fact, the cartoon was altered so that it was directly applicable to recent management actions. The cartoon was quickly removed by our management (I never even saw it), with a warning to boot. The specific concern was that the cartoon would portray a bad image to outsiders that visited our facility, especially to outsiders that are aware of these recent management actions. It is notable that all of the other cartoons were left in place.

This incident got me thinking - Is anonomously posting cartoons in public areas at work ethical? Does it depend on the cartoon and/or the motive?

 

[PSE]

Jumping back to Haf's original post. If there is an employee handbook etc, I would check it to see if there was a policy about posting items in "public" areas. Where I work we have leeway to personalize our offices and there are select locations for posting things internally. If there is no policy, I would not think it unethical (currently) to do postings. Management may well end up establishing a policy and at that point, I would think it unethical to go against it.

Being in a corporation or office environment is not (my opinion) part of the public domain in a true sense. You are constrained by the employer/employee relationship.

That said, I am also a Dilbert Fan. I also had a Doonsbury cartoon (misplaced in my last office move), that had a couple of parent's talking about job stability and the one mentioning that his kid had outsourced his own job and was looking to moonlight. I would be tempted to scan and post it here (should I find it again), but that would likely go against copyright laws.

Regards,

 

[KENAT]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22328272/?GT1=10645

Legal case involving Dilbert.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[Gymmeh]

EPIC FIND!!!

 

[monkeydog]

Article now posted on the bulletin board.

 

[PSE]

Makes you wonder if it is ethical for managers to act like the pointy-haired boss.

Happy Holidays!

 

[WGJ]

http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20080220.html

http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20080221.html

http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20080222.html

Sorry --- couldn't resist it.

Bill

 

[swertel]

I've been watching those last 3 days as well with particular interest. Apparently, Scott Adams lurks in eng-tips.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

 

[schnipp]

Is it wrong to post those three comics on my door?

I am the department manager, after all. . .

 

[IRstuff]

But EVERY manager has his own pointy-haired manager higher up. Even Dilbert's boss thinks his boss is a knucklehead.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[Gymmeh]

my company just started blocking dilbert :-( ...

 

[WGJ]

Interestingly enough, my own employer (the Fraud Munter Co) also went through a miserable phase of blocking Dilbert. And then, miraculously, relented.

Whether this renewed access was the action of a renegade IT person or actual reversal of Company policy I can't say.

Bill

 

[Gymmeh]

i found another way to read them, google image, then save the thumb to my desk top and then zoom in. hehe

so basically by blocking dilbert they are increasing the time I waste trying to read it. and increasing the chance I get a virus...