It is news. Legally, the first daughters have no right to privacy regarding an incident that allegedly occurred in public, says Jack Doppelt, a lawyer and Northwestern University professor who teaches a course in law and ethics of journalism. And, he agrees, covering the story is close to being a no-brainer journalistically. Doppelt says, contrary to perception, media standards have not changed over the years in this regard, just the volume. There's just more out there.
Some experts disagree.
He said there should be formal ethical guidelines to prevent coverage of minor infractions by presidential kids. It's like reporting that the president's daughter got a speeding ticket. Another professor, Charles Figley of Florida State University, who specializes in psychological stress on celebrity, says kids in political families are different, and are used to being raised on a public stage. He says the values of the media generally represent the values of society. ABC News Internet Ventures.