re:ethics of photography

the ethic of photography got into a wide range of techiques and manipulations within the photo. there was one in particular that i liked a lot. the one with the photo of the beam on the bridge. they manipulated it and put someone walking around with a shoelace untied. is this ethical or not? it is suggested that it isnt but is it really or not? the idea is to make everyone freak out and think oh my gosh he is going to fall. but in reality that person is not there. it is un necessary to even try and portray what is not there. the problem with the ethics of photography is that no one ever really sees the whole picture. in the case with the kid and the enforcement officer everyone thinks that he is beeing innapropriate and mistreating the child. but is he? is he not just doing his job and preparing for the allways possible conflict that could occur at any moment? for all he knowsn the boy or guardian could be armed? pictures are so manipulated and misunderstood so you never really can tell any more what the real meaning or manipulation is. that is unless you yourself have a back ground in photography or are one.