Ethics in a Social Media World

Gabby Piwowar

gp566220@ohio.edu

 

Strategic Communications

Strategic Communications has become a broad term to envelope the concepts and ideas centered around public relations, management communication, and advertisement. Although a purposeful and tactic based field, strategic communications also falls under a code of ethics.

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has a guide designed to explain and anticipate possible ethical dilemmas in strategic communication. PRSA was composed to present the core values necessary to maintain a trusting relationship between the public and professionals of the public relations industry. 

 

 

 

PRSA Ethics

The core values associated with public relations are advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty, and fairness. This list allows the communication profession to create a respectful and productive environment with the public.

The relationship created between professionals and the general public has become increasingly connected due to social media. An increase in media access has also created an increase in opportunities for ethical dilemmas to arise. Strategic communications and public relation professionals are being put to the test to see if their ethical codes can withstand media in the modern world.

Picture source: mysticat, EnvatoMarket

PRSA vs. Modern Media 

Social media is a goldmine for public relations and a consumer market. The constant updates and data tracking would create the ultimate environment for professionals to push an agenda or product. Center for Social Impact Communication's website explains how social media's impact allows public relations to be more amplified because larger audiences can be reached faster and easier. 

This increase in potential power leads the public and social media users to question if this is tempting enough to make professionals go against their ethical codes. 

Social media platforms are specifically molded to match the user they are intended for. This application of data mining does not keep public relations and strategic communications independent or advocates for the public. 

The ethical code in place for advocacy is treated in relation to social media because truthful content may not be represented when branded or contracted advertisements are shown to an audience with a biased mindset. Involvement in commercial branding or target is not objective and therefore disregards the code of independence. 

It is possible for strategic communication and public relation professionals to maintain PRSA ethical codes, but is proving to be a difficult feat in the social media influenced marketing world.