📝Intro to Communication Writing Unit 14 – Ethics in Communication Writing

Key Ethical Principles

• Respect for persons recognizes the inherent dignity and autonomy of individuals and their right to make informed decisions
  • Involves obtaining informed consent and protecting privacy and confidentiality
• Beneficence requires acting in ways that promote the well-being of others and minimizing harm
  • Involves carefully considering the potential consequences of one's actions and striving to produce the greatest good
• Justice demands fair and equitable treatment of all persons, regardless of their personal characteristics or social status
  • Involves avoiding discrimination and ensuring that the benefits and burdens of research and communication are distributed fairly
• Utility seeks to maximize overall societal benefits while minimizing harms
  • Involves weighing the potential risks and benefits of a course of action and choosing the option that produces the greatest good for the greatest number
• Fidelity requires being truthful, keeping promises, and maintaining trust in professional relationships
• Integrity involves adhering to ethical principles even in the face of pressure or adversity
  • Requires being honest, transparent, and accountable for one's actions
• Responsibility entails being accountable for the consequences of one's communication and taking steps to mitigate potential harms

Ethical Challenges in Comm Writing

• Balancing the public's right to know with individual privacy and confidentiality
  • Determining when it is appropriate to disclose sensitive information and when it should be withheld to protect individuals
• Navigating conflicts of interest that may arise from personal, professional, or financial relationships
  • Ensuring that one's judgment is not compromised by competing loyalties or incentives
• Maintaining objectivity and impartiality in the face of political, social, or economic pressures
• Avoiding deceptive or manipulative communication practices that may mislead or exploit audiences
  • Resisting the temptation to sensationalize or oversimplify complex issues for the sake of attracting attention or generating profits
• Respecting intellectual property rights and avoiding plagiarism or unauthorized use of others' work
• Ensuring accuracy and completeness of information in an era of rapid news cycles and social media
  • Taking the time to verify facts and provide context, even when under pressure to publish quickly
• Considering the potential impact of communication on vulnerable or marginalized populations
  • Striving to amplify diverse voices and perspectives while avoiding stereotypes or harmful representations

Truth and Accuracy

• Verifying information through multiple reliable sources before publishing or disseminating
  • Consulting primary documents, expert opinions, and eyewitness accounts to corroborate facts
• Clearly distinguishing between facts, opinions, and speculation in communication
  • Using language that signals to audiences when something is an assertion, an interpretation, or a hypothesis
• Correcting errors promptly and prominently when they are discovered
  • Issuing retractions or updates in a timely manner and in a way that reaches the original audience
• Providing context and background information to help audiences understand complex issues
  • Avoiding oversimplification or sensationalism that may distort the truth
• Resisting pressure from advertisers, sponsors, or other stakeholders to skew or suppress information
• Being transparent about methods, sources, and limitations in reporting and research
  • Disclosing any potential conflicts of interest or biases that may affect the work
• Seeking out and representing diverse perspectives and experiences to provide a more complete picture of reality
  • Avoiding reliance on a narrow range of sources or viewpoints that may reinforce dominant narratives

Privacy and Confidentiality

• Respecting individuals' right to control their personal information and identity
  • Obtaining informed consent before collecting, using, or disclosing sensitive data
• Protecting confidential sources and honoring promises of anonymity
  • Using secure communication channels and encryption to safeguard identities
• Carefully considering the potential harms of revealing private information, even when it is legally permissible
  • Weighing the public interest against the potential for individual harm or embarrassment
• Redacting or withholding identifying details when appropriate to shield individuals from harm
• Securely storing and disposing of personal data to prevent unauthorized access or breaches
  • Implementing strong cybersecurity measures and adhering to data retention policies
• Being transparent about data collection and usage practices
  • Providing clear and accessible privacy policies that inform individuals of their rights and choices
• Considering the unique privacy concerns of vulnerable populations
  • Such as children, victims of crime, or individuals with mental health issues

Plagiarism and Attribution

• Properly citing and attributing all sources used in one's work
  • Using established citation styles (APA, MLA) consistently and accurately
• Avoiding verbatim copying of others' language without quotation marks and attribution
  • Paraphrasing ideas in one's own words while still giving credit to the original author
• Obtaining permission before reproducing or adapting copyrighted material
  • Seeking licenses or releases for images, videos, or other media
• Being transparent about the extent to which others contributed to a work
  • Acknowledging collaborators, editors, or research assistants who provided substantive input
• Avoiding self-plagiarism or recycling one's own previously published work without disclosure
• Using plagiarism detection software or other tools to ensure the originality of one's writing
• Educating oneself and others about the seriousness of plagiarism as a form of academic and professional misconduct
  • Understanding the potential consequences (failing grades, loss of credibility, legal action) of engaging in plagiarism

Social Responsibility

• Considering the potential social, political, and cultural impact of one's communication
  • Being mindful of how messages may be interpreted or acted upon by different audiences
• Striving to promote public understanding and informed decision-making through accurate and comprehensive reporting
• Advocating for transparency and accountability in government, business, and other powerful institutions
  • Using investigative journalism and whistleblowing to expose wrongdoing or corruption
• Amplifying the voices and experiences of marginalized or underrepresented groups
  • Seeking out diverse sources and perspectives to challenge dominant narratives
• Avoiding communication that perpetuates stereotypes, prejudice, or discrimination
  • Using language and imagery that is inclusive and respectful of different identities and backgrounds
• Being sensitive to the potential for communication to cause harm or trauma
  • Providing trigger warnings or resources for support when discussing sensitive topics (violence, suicide)
• Using one's platform and influence to promote social justice and positive change
  • Advocating for policies or practices that advance equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability

Digital Ethics

• Navigating the unique ethical challenges posed by digital communication technologies
  • Such as the speed and scale of information dissemination, the blurring of public and private spheres, and the potential for anonymity and deception
• Ensuring the accuracy and credibility of online information
  • Verifying sources, fact-checking claims, and providing links to original material
• Respecting intellectual property rights in the digital realm
  • Obtaining permission before reproducing or remixing digital content, and using proper attribution and licensing
• Protecting the privacy and security of personal data in online environments
  • Using strong passwords, encryption, and other safeguards to prevent hacking or unauthorized access
• Being transparent about the use of algorithms, automation, or artificial intelligence in digital communication
  • Disclosing when content is generated or curated by non-human actors, and explaining how these systems work
• Considering the potential for digital communication to create echo chambers or filter bubbles
  • Exposing oneself and others to diverse perspectives and sources of information to promote critical thinking and dialogue
• Promoting digital literacy and empowerment
  • Educating others about the responsible use of digital tools and platforms, and advocating for policies that promote access and equity in the digital sphere

Case Studies and Dilemmas

• Examining real-world examples of ethical challenges and decision-making in communication
  • Analyzing the context, stakeholders, and consequences of specific cases to identify key ethical issues and principles at play
• The Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal at The New York Times
  • Illustrating the importance of journalistic integrity, accountability, and the consequences of ethical breaches for individuals and institutions
• The Cambridge Analytica controversy and Facebook's role in data privacy
  • Highlighting the ethical implications of collecting, sharing, and using personal data for targeted advertising and political influence
• The debate over publishing leaked government documents (Pentagon Papers, WikiLeaks)
  • Exploring the tension between the public's right to know and the government's claims of national security and confidentiality
• The coverage of mass shootings and the potential for media contagion
  • Raising questions about how to balance the need for information with the risk of inspiring copycat crimes or traumatizing victims and families
• The use of graphic images or videos in news reporting
  • Considering the ethical justifications and limitations of showing disturbing or violent content to convey the reality of events
• The role of social media in spreading misinformation and disinformation
  • Examining the responsibilities of platforms, users, and regulators in combating false or misleading content online
• Discussing how to apply ethical principles and frameworks to navigate complex, ambiguous, or novel situations
  • Emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, dialogue, and professional guidance in ethical decision-making