When talking about legal and ethical responsibilities, it is important to avoid language that will land you in court. By knowing what is legal and adapting your language accordingly, you can protect yourself. There are specific laws to protect investors when writers describe the sale of stocks or financial services.

There was a case of a software company that caused lawsuits because they withheld information that revealed problems in a new version of one of it's most popular programs. Stockholders sued,and charged that managers had deliberately concealed the bad news, causing stock prices to stay high.

A manufacturer is responsible for anyone injured by a product with a defect. Manufacturers are obligated to warn consumers about any risks in their products and warnings must clearly explain how to use the product safely. Effective techniques include using simple, easy to understand words, and headings and bullets. Sellers of a service need to be careful about the language they use to describe what the will do. Letters, reports, and proposals that describe services are interpreted as contracts in court, so they must not be misleading. If sales and marketing messages falsely advertise prices, performance capability, quality, or other characteristics, it is illegal the potential for a lawsuit is present.

It is important to remember that we all have legal and ethical responsibilities. We need to remember this especially in the workplace, where it is very important to chose you language wisely so that you avoid the possibility of being sued.


References:
Business Communication,  pg136-139


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