This week I came across three different but interesting stories looking at ethical issues around virtual people. Authenticity was a theme that wove through most of the articles as well. Plus, we get to look at payola in sports media and a really fascinating article on the communication metaverse which introduced a few new areas of concern to me, including brain computer interface data.
Dan Tisch, the CEO of Argyle, one of Canada’s largest and best agencies, discusses:
1) What to do when you can’t convince others to do the ethically right thing
2)Why reputation matters more than image
3) One ethics question every agency owner needs to ask before taking on a new client
4) How communication professionals must prepare as the risk of deception increases daily
This week we discuss the perils of wokewashing, see training resources for ethics classes courtesy of the Page Center, and discuss the article on how hedonism and teleology helps you live a happier life.
Tara McDonagh, the president of Tara McDonagh Communications caught my attention with a LinkedIn post in June, where she stated if it’s not painful at times to stand by your core values, you’re doing it wrong.
During our discussion, Tara highlighted:
1) How do you stay true to your values and not simply chase the money?
2) Why you need to focus on character, not reputation
3) Why you can’t rely on others’ moral compasses
Conflicts of interest, particularly around communication from the government, seemed to be the most popular communication ethics issue of the past week. Add into that an update to the Barcelona Measurement Principles including measurement integrity and there are a number topics ripe for discussion. Ethical Measurement – The Barcelona Principles
This week on EthicalVoices, JP Canton, the head of communications and public relations in North America for Polestar discusses ethical issues including:
1) What to do when your boss asks you to make the company seem more diverse than it is
2) Common failings with corporate responses to Black Lives Matter
3) The unethical actions more companies are asking agencies to do and why it is wrong
One of the great things about blogging about communication ethics is I never run out of things to discuss. We had pardons, name changes, sports ethics and on a positive note, a new ethics training guide.
Kelley Chunn, the principal of Kelley Chunn and Associates, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including:
1) What to do when your employer and you have diametrically different ideas?
2) Do organizations that make mistakes on race and systemic injustice deserve help?
3) Advice for making substantive diversity strides
Three very interesting stories this week in PR ethics, all dealing with timeless issues. What is our obligation to protect users’ privacy? What do we do when we see an unethical business practice? And Should you have meetings with stakeholders when you may not want to act on what they say?
I figure everyone is either still gone/checked our for the long July 4th weekend, or is insanely busy covering for those that are out, so Ethical Voices this week is just sixteen words of wisdom about ethics.