Additional Ethical Considerations for Your Daily PR Practice

⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛

September is Ethics Month! Here at Hourglass Media, ethics are at the core of who we are individually and as a company. While everyone brings a unique perspective and morality to the PR profession, the PRSA Code of Ethics serves as a constant and consistent blueprint for us to follow.

We adhere to the PRSA Code of Ethics, which is the highest professional standard of the public relations industry. 

The PRSA Code of Ethics delves into the following professional values:

• Advocacy 

• Honesty

• Expertise

• Independence 

• Loyalty 

• Fairness

The Code of Ethics’ Provisions of Conduct include the following:

• Free Flow of Information

• Competition

• Disclosure of Information

• Safeguarding Confidences

• Conflicts of Interest

• Enhancing the Profession

In recent years, technology and other communications shifts have prompted PRSA to release position papers to take stances on timely industry issues. Currently, PRSA offers nine position papers, with more likely becoming available as the industry continues to evolve:

• Pay for Play

• Ethics and Social Media

• Paid Spokespersons and Influencers

• Representing Front Groups

• Overstating Fees or Compensation

• Native Adverting and Sponsored Content

• AI and Leadership Accountabilities

• Social Media As A Reflection of Majority Opinion

• Information Leaks

These position papers are vital to providing a holistic glimpse into PR and communications ethics. While the initial PRSA Code of Ethics is the gold standard of communications ethics, these amendments allow for a more comprehensive approach as you practice PR on a daily basis.

I want to highlight three of these position papers that are relevant to Hourglass Media and my overall daily practice of public relations:

Pay for Play

As PR pros, the line continues to blur between advertising, marketing, and other communications disciplines. Add social media influencers, brands, and other key players to the mix, and you could have several potential issues. What was once a gray area has become more cloudy. As a PR pro (and I have dealt with this on several occasions), you want your message to get to your target audiences in the exact ways that will logically and emotionally reach them. In some cases, you may purchase advertisements that could look like editorial content. We’ve all seen magazine spreads that look native to the publication they’re in, newspaper special sections that look the same as the other newspaper pages but have a different general tone. It’s vital that you indicate that it’s sponsored content. We’ve seen this time and time again with influencers not disclosing that they’re peddling a product in an #ad-themed post. It’s important to be transparent. After all, there are a lot of times that these sponsored content spreads, posts, and other content are Paid Media versus Earned Media. 

AI and Leadership Accountabilities 

If you’re visited our homepage (and fingers crossed that you have!), then you’ve noticed that we have a chatbot that will answer some of the most common and pressing questions a website visitor may have. This is a very minor example of Artificial Intelligence. As communicators, we would be remiss if we didn’t take AI into account with our decision-making. After all, it seems as though a new piece of technology enters the landscape on a daily basis. Automation is also a hot topic, as well as accountability for when AI makes a minor-to-major mistake. At the end of the day, no matter how a process happens (either human or machine), it’s up to humans to correct any mistakes, especially in the court of public opinion. While any type of AI is meant to make our lives “easier,” we still have oversight and must take responsibility when an error occurs. Blaming a certain device, algorithm, or a technological “act of God” won’t serve our reputations well if we do not take accountability and then present a solution. Human beings are emotional and logical -- not just logical like AI. We have to keep our target audiences in mind every step of the way.

Plagiarism

As a writer first and foremost, nothing makes me angrier than someone plagiarizing someone else’s work. Sure, each of us makes mistakes and could write something that seems similar to a previous work. It’s vital to ensure that you’re adhering to all copyrights and trademarks and properly attributing information, quotes, and even certain concepts to the original owner of the work. Much of what we use today is in the public domain without some of the same restrictions as copyrighted work. It’s important to know when to attribute, when to pay for the use of someone else’s work, and other ethical and lawful considerations. For example, when I recently released Healing Your Heart: A Prompted Journal for Pregnancy Loss, I included an Ernest Hemingway quote. Instead of just using the quote verbatim, I attributed it to Ernest Hemingway. If you’re posting a photo you found on someone else’s Instagram account, sending artwork with a press release, or using a stock photo on your website, always, always, ALWAYS use your own words. If you want to use someone else’s work, attribute, pay for it, get permission, etc. Each situation is different, but always ask yourself if it’s your own work or belongs to someone else. 

See more about these three items and more position papers here.

In addition to the standard Code of Ethics and position papers, we also follow the Barcelona Principles 3.0, which are taken from the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC)’s website and are in their exact wording:

• Setting goals is an absolute prerequisite to communications planning, measurement, and evaluation.

• Measurement and evaluation should identify outputs, outcomes, and potential impact.

• Outcomes and impact should be identified for stakeholders, society, and the organization.

• Communication measurement and evaluation should include both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

• AVEs are not the value of communication.

• Holistic communication measurement and evaluation includes all relevant online and offline channels.

• Holistic communication measurement and evaluation includes all relevant online and offline channels.

How do you implement ethics in your daily practice of public relations and communications?

Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV, with 18 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a mental health advocate, wife, mom, and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.