Of course some combination of these might be chosen. Although it is usually not a good idea to take one's case directly to the news media, they generally become involved eventually, usually in reporting actions taken by whatever entity the engineer has contacted. One must take special pains to be accurate and clear when dealing with journalists so as to minimize sensationalism and distortion. When given a choice among media organizations, choose those with reputations for fairness and accuracy. Guidance and support from one's professional society is potentially a powerful aid to engineers in the kinds of situations considered here.
Efforts are under way within the IEEE to improve the machinery for providing such support.
Regardless of whether one obtains professional society support, it would be useful to engage an attorney to advise on the many legal aspects of the situation. But in considering their advice, one must take into account the tendency of attorneys to discourage any acts accompanied by legal risks. Conclusions Following the above guidelines will often lead to a satisfactory resolution of the problem at issue. However the situations treated here are inherently difficult. No tactics or strategies can guarantee a happy outcome.