Communication ethics

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Communication ethics is a sub-branch of moral philosophy concerning the understanding of manifestations of communicative interaction. [1]

Contents

Every human interaction involves communication and ethics, whether implicitly or explicitly. Intentional and unintentional ethical dilemmas arise frequently in daily life. Rhetoric, media studies, intercultural/international communication, relational, and organizational communication all incorporate ethical issues. [2] [3]

Communication ethics has implications for enterprises, corporations, professional entities, and individuals. Unethical communication practices within a company can harm its reputation and shareholder value. [4] [5] However, companies must also maintain a balance between transparency and considerations such as privacy, confidentiality, and profitability. [6] [7]

It intersects with disciplines such as sociolinguistics, media ethics, and professional ethics.

History

Historically, communication ethics originated with concerns related to print media and has evolved with the advent of digital technologies. Critics began addressing the harms of the unregulated press in North America and Europe during the 1890s, leading to the establishment of principles in the United States during the 1920s. [8] Four major books emerged during this period: Who's Who of journalism luminaries: Nelson Crawford's Ethics of Journalism (1924), Leon Flint's The Conscience of the Newspaper (1925), William Gibbons's Newspaper Ethics (1926), and Albert Henning's Ethics and Practices in Journalism (1932). These authors left a legacy concerning the meaning of communication ethics and addressed ethical issues in their works. Persistent concerns have always included privacy and confidentiality, which have increasingly been debated in relation to freedom of speech.

Philosophers

Apart from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, which remains perennially relevant, formal considerations regarding the ethics of communication emerged from early codes of journalistic conduct. An exemplary instance is the Journalist's Creed penned by Walter Williams in 1914, who also authored Newspaper Ethics in 1926.

For a concise overview of contemporary thinkers in media ethics, a list can be found on the corresponding page. Since its formalization in the 1980s, media ethics has become nearly synonymous with the field of communication ethics.

Additionally, Hans-Georg Gadamer's book Truth and Method has emerged as an authoritative work in the field, giving rise to several prominent ethical theories and guidelines. Among these, the formulation of dialogic coordinates stands out as particularly profound, establishing a standard set of communication elements essential for fostering dialogue. By adhering to Gadamer's theories on bias, communicators can effectively initiate dialogic transactions, facilitating the convergence of biases to promote mutual understanding and learning. [9]

Fake news

Ethical communication is crucial as it underscores individuals' responsibility to maintain civility in society. With the proliferation of fake news in today's society, the significance of ethical communication cannot be overstated. Fake news has permeated various media platforms, including radio stations, and its impact has only amplified with the emergence of online platforms, particularly social media, as primary sources of news for many individuals. As noted by Tandoc, Lim, and Ling (2018), "Now that online platforms, particularly social media, are becoming the main sources of news for a growing number of individuals, misinformation seems to have found a new channel." [10] Due to the rise of social media, [11] The rise of social media has made it easier to disseminate misinformation globally. [10] [12]

Codes

The National Communication Association (NCA) was established in 1914 by 17 speech teachers who parted ways with the National Council of Teachers of English. Today, NCA boasts thousands of scholars worldwide dedicated to studying communication education. They assert that unethical communication poses a threat to society and undermines civility in everyday interactions. NCA advocates for truthful communication and prioritizes educating others through effective dialogue, discussion, and debate. [13]

The obligation to uphold truthfulness is not solely a legal matter, as there is no universal code of ethics applicable to all. One such example is The 1996 SPJ Code, which centres on four principles: to seek truth, minimize harm, remain independent, and maintain accountability. [14] These principles address contemporary challenges arising from the proliferation of the internet.

Additionally, the Code of Professional Ethics for the Communication Scholar/Teacher, adopted in November 1999, outlines guidelines for behaviour, including integrity, fairness, professional and social responsibility, equality of opportunity, confidentiality, honesty, openness, respect for self and others, freedom, and safety. [15] These codes serve as regulatory measures to steer individuals in professions involving communication practices.

See also

Related Research Articles

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Disinformation is false information deliberately spread to deceive people. Disinformation is an orchestrated adversarial activity in which actors employ strategic deceptions and media manipulation tactics to advance political, military, or commercial goals. Disinformation is implemented through attacks that "weaponize multiple rhetorical strategies and forms of knowing—including not only falsehoods but also truths, half-truths, and value judgements—to exploit and amplify culture wars and other identity-driven controversies."

Ethical codes are adopted by organizations to assist members in understanding the difference between right and wrong and in applying that understanding to their decisions. An ethical code generally implies documents at three levels: codes of business ethics, codes of conduct for employees, and codes of professional practice.

Medical ethics is an applied branch of ethics which analyzes the practice of clinical medicine and related scientific research. Medical ethics is based on a set of values that professionals can refer to in the case of any confusion or conflict. These values include the respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. Such tenets may allow doctors, care providers, and families to create a treatment plan and work towards the same common goal. These four values are not ranked in order of importance or relevance and they all encompass values pertaining to medical ethics. However, a conflict may arise leading to the need for hierarchy in an ethical system, such that some moral elements overrule others with the purpose of applying the best moral judgement to a difficult medical situation. Medical ethics is particularly relevant in decisions regarding involuntary treatment and involuntary commitment.

The ethics of technology is a sub-field of ethics addressing the ethical questions specific to the Technology Age, the transitional shift in society wherein personal computers and subsequent devices provide for the quick and easy transfer of information. Technology ethics is the application of ethical thinking to the growing concerns of technology as new technologies continue to rise in prominence.

In journalism, a source is a person, publication, or knowledge of other record or document that gives timely information. Outside journalism, sources are sometimes known as "news sources". Examples of sources include but are not limited to official records, publications or broadcasts, officials in government or business, organizations or corporations, witnesses of crime, accidents or other events, and people involved with or affected by a news event or issue.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Society of Professional Journalists</span> Association for journalists in the US

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Political journalism</span> Political reporter

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyberethics</span> Ethics of online activities

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Social media as a news source is the use of online social media platforms rather than moreover traditional media platforms to obtain news. Just as television turned a nation of people who listened to media content into watchers of media content in the 1950s to the 1980s, the emergence of social media has created a nation of media content creators. Almost half of Americans use social media as a news source, according to the Pew Research Center.

Public service journalism, or public service media, or public service internet, is when mission-driven organizations report the news and have editorial independence from governments and for-profit companies.

References

  1. ↑ Lipari, Lisbeth A. (2017-02-27), "Communication Ethics", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.58, ISBN   978-0-19-022861-3 , retrieved 2024-01-08
  2. ↑ Nhedzi, Abyshey (Sep 2021). "A 'moral compass of the organization during a crisis: Exploring the ethics roles of strategic communication practice". African Journal of Business Ethis. 15 (1): 1–49 – via EBSCO.
  3. ↑ Lipari, Lisbeth A. (2017-02-27). "Communication Ethics". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.58. ISBN   978-0-19-022861-3 . Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  4. ↑ "Tobacco | SurgeonGeneral.gov". 2015-03-20. Archived from the original on 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2021-02-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ↑ Higgins, Parker (2015-03-25). "Locking In Public Access to Scientific Knowledge by Unlocking Scholarly Research". Electronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  6. ↑ "Free Software Foundation Privacy Policy — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software". www.fsf.org. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  7. ↑ Rubin, Victoria L. (2022), "Manipulation in Marketing, Advertising, Propaganda, and Public Relations", Misinformation and Disinformation, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 157–205, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-95656-1_6, ISBN   978-3-030-95655-4 , retrieved 2024-02-01
  8. ↑ "Communication Ethics | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  9. ↑ Communication Ethics Literacy: Dialogue and Difference Arnett, Harden Fritz & Bell, Los Angeles 2009
  10. 1 2 Tandoc, Edson C.; Lim, Zheng Wei; Ling, Richard (2018-02-07). "Defining "Fake News"". Digital Journalism. 6 (2): 137–153. doi:10.1080/21670811.2017.1360143. ISSN   2167-0811. S2CID   158143268.
  11. ↑ Aral, Sinan (2021). The Hype Machine. Crown. pp. 83, 84. ISBN   9780525574521.
  12. ↑ Aral, Sinan (2021). The Hype Machine. Crown. ISBN   9780525574521.
  13. ↑ "National Communication Association Reaffirms the Importance of Preserving Free and Responsible Communication". National Communication Association. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  14. ↑ "SPJ Code of Ethics - Society of Professional Journalists". www.spj.org. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  15. ↑ https://www.natcom.org/sites/default/files/pages/1999_Public_Statements_A_Code_of_Professional_Ethics_for_%20the_Communication_Scholar_Teacher_November.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
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