Some interesting ethics stories over the past few weeks including Fake experts, fake entries, fake photos and more. CIPR deserves credit for calling out some of the most egregious issues. Unethical Wikipedia editing – CIPR calls out firms for the unethical use of subcontractors for wikilaundering Fake experts – CIPR
Joining me on this week’s episode of Ethical Voices is Mike Farber, the co-founder of GreenStory. He discusses a number of important ethics issues, including:
1) Why the most important ethics decision happens before you hire a person or client
2) Why “It’s legal” is one of the most dangerous phrases in communications
3) Why comms leaders must reclaim the truth
This Week in PR Ethics is back from its long vacation with a number of interesting stories, including many AI ethics failures.
This week on Ethical Voices, Kristin Amico, a writer, editor, content strategist, and the most traveled person I know discusses a number of important ethics issues, including:
1) Why most ethics failures don’t start with scandals
2) What the “Wild West” of AI really looks like inside organizations under pressure to perform
3) How fear, job insecurity, and “do more with less” environments quietly undermine ethical decision-making
4) Why mentorship is the most effective ethics safeguard for junior staff
This week on EthicalVoices, Amie Hoffner, Vice President of Corporate Communications at American Dairy Queen Corporation, shares why communicators need the same protections as lawyers — and how to stay ethical when the lines between PR, marketing, and media blur. She discusses:
1) Why communicators should have the same legal protections as lawyers
2) How to avoid “on background” disasters
3) Why trusting your gut isn’t enough
4) How to counsel executives in media interviews
5) Why crisis simulations should include an ethical dilemma
Dick Martin, the retired Chief Communication Officer for AT&T and Chairman of the Board of the PR Museum, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including:
1) How a single racist cartoon exposed deeper organizational issues and sparked meaningful change
2) Why telling the truth in PR isn’t always easy
3) Why strong ethics requires more than good intentions
4) Why you should be careful about getting too clever
This week on Ethical Voices, Tammy Gordon, the (past) public information department manager for the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District. [Editors note: I sat on this interview for way too long and she is now Director of Public Affairs at the Citrus Heights Water District], discusses a number of important ethical issues, including:
1) How to navigate ethical conflict when your job challenges your personal values
2) How to intervene when colleagues prioritize quick fixes over responsible practices
3) How to address unethical behavior without triggering defensiveness
This week on Ethical Voices, Carolyn Smith Casertano, MA, APR, Fellow PRSA, professor of practice in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona, discusses a number of important ethics issues including;
1) How to effectively address management decisions that conflict with your values
2) What to do when a client tries to hire your staff
Fabiana Meléndez Ruiz, a strategic storyteller serving as the founder and CEO of Refuerzo Collaborative, discusses a number of important ethics issues including:
1) How to counsel effectively when your client has a culturally insensitive idea
2) How you can help organizations go beyond their biases
3) Unexpected ways PR pros fail ethically with the media
4) The most overlooked part of a PR person’s job
Bill Swanger, APR, Fellow PRSA, the founder of William Swanger Communications, shares a number of important ethical issues, including:
1) Why it is important to ethically address financial mistakes and clarify misunderstandings
2) Ethically navigating paid and unpaid content