Lesson 1.

3: COMMUNICATION  ETHICS

Introduction // OVERVIEW
Ethics are moral values of good conduct that guide one's action, whether or not they are
governed by laws or policies. In communication, our rhetoric, along with our actions, creates
the sort of person that we are; thus, all thinking individuals constantly evaluate the words they
let out of their mouths, aiming for integrity in their language habits. This is the mark of an
ethical communicator.
Communication in the digital age has resulted in current transformations raising interrelated
questions about ethics. Upon browsing your social media account, you are unlikely to
encounter immature contents and misleading judgments expressed ubiquitously without any
corroboration. Displays of fake news currently proliferate the Internet, ignoring all
communication ethics.……….………………………………………………………………………….

Preliminary Questions/Diagnosis

Read the prompt below and answer the following questions.

Wanda is new to the company where you work. She talks to you during breaks and seems very friendly. She tells everyone at
work how she loves not only her job but also everyone there. Lately, however, Wanda has been gossiping and badmouthing
the same employees when they are not around. She's also revealed some personal information about several colleagues and
asked you some very personal questions. What should you do?
Preliminary Questions/Diagnosis
1. How do you best address this unethical stature of Wanda?
A. Ignore the gossip, questions, and comments. After all, it's not bothering you.
B. Start gossiping about her to other people. What goes around comes around.
C. Tell the boss what a jerk Wanda is.
D. Politely tell you are uncomfortable with gossip and personal issues that have no place at work. Distance yourself if she
continues.
2. What could be the possible result of your decision? 3. Justify the cause or causes that prompt for you to arrive at a possible
decision.
4. Do you believe that such a decision can be linked to your integrity at work? If so, why or why not?
_______________________________________________________________
1. Study the following headline.
2. Tell how the headline relates to the photo of the article.
3. Study the statement that follows. Explain what it means.
4. In your opinion, how is this article relevant to the topic on communication
ethics?
In a statement, Philippine Senator and chair of the Senate Committee on Public
Information and Institution said, If fake news is not challenged, I will create
lynch mobs out to certain people, turning them into army of character
assassins, who can be unleashed, with just one meme, to destroy an idea, a
person or an institution.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/628200/poe-says-fake-newscultivates-culture-of-lying-creates-lynch-mobs/story/http://
newsinfo.inquirer.net/941347/asias-fight-against-fake-news
WHY IS ETHICAL COMMUNICATION IMPORTANT?

Ethical communication is fundamental to responsible thinking, decision-making, and the

development of relationships and communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels,
and media. Ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering
truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for self and others while
unethical communications threatens the quality of all communication and consequently the
well-being of individuals and the society in which we live.
A lifestyle characterized by complete lack of ethical behavior would be so antisocial that it
might well result in imprisonment or social ostracism (Pfeiffer & Forsberg 1993). It follows that
communication which is devoid of ethical standards will not result in a happy ending.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATION ETHICS

1. All relevant information
2. Truthfulness in every sense and not deceptive in any way
3. Accuracy and the sincerity-avoiding language that manipulates, discriminates, or
exaggerates
4. Fair presentation of ideas.

Our religious upbringing, and philosophical and cultural ideals shape our communication
ethics. However, bad judgement may cloud our thoughts, thus, disrupting our morals. As a
stabilizing agent, we may consider time-tested ideals that have been useful in communication.
1. Socrates, Thomas Hobbles, and John Locke posit in social contract theory that
people in society have an unwritten agreement with one another (Staubhaaret al.,
2014). For example, new organizations uphold their social responsibility of reporting
news with integrity.
2. Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics asserts that virtue is a state between the extremes of
excess and deficiency. A righteous person feels pleasure in behaving rightly.
3. The golden rule, “Do unto other as you would have them do unto you”, is from the
Bible. This was also taught by the Chinese philosopher, Confucius. In the context of
communication, this means everyone must treat each other fairly and respectfully.
4. The principle of honesty decrees that you should not deceive other people. One way
of deceiving people is by lying to mislead them intentionally. Another is through various
nonverbal communication, such as conveying false information by employing a
misrepresentative body language.

The Greatest Good Principle

 The greatest good principle by John Stuart requires that you avoid doing things that can
harm some other people or damage their property (Pfeiffer & Forsberg 1993). It requires
that you always seek the greatest good for everyone. This does not require you to
improve the lot of others. It mere requires that you do not inflict harm on others. This an
idea embedded in the Philippine constitution and in the laws of most countries. Thus,
this principle embodies a person’s legal rights and is the basis of other ethical principles
mentioned here.
The Commitment Principle
 The Commitment Principle. Throughout life, you will make several pledges and
promises. This principle holds that you fulfill all the commitments you make and, thus,
fulfill the special obligations attached to them. Application of this principle varies widely
depending on the relationships you maintain. Within the family, the commitment
 principle requires that you look after one another and provide emotional support. In the
workplace, this principle requires that you follow the standard procedures and respect
lines of authority.
Situation Ethics
 Situation ethics considers moral principles to be relative to the situation at hand, urging
consideration of alternate framework depending on the situation (Staubhaar, 2014).
Individuals may trust their intuitive sense of what is right (Day, 1991). For example,
although revealing the hidden recording of the former President Arroyo’s “Hello Garci”
violated her privacy, it was considered by the Supreme Court as acceptable since it
served as public interest.
FACTORS INFLUENCING ETHICAL COMMUNICATION
1. Ethical Aspect
2. Timing
3. Ethical Context
ETHICAL ASPECTS
 consider the complexities in the communication process that discerns what to disclose
and not to disclose, thus, facing three simple choices: to speak, to listen, or to remain
silent
TIMING
 Information disclosed at one point maybe considered unethical in another period of
time. For example, discussing about the contents of departmental exam in public places
maybe overheard by the other student who are yet to take it. This is how test leakages
develop. Mode of communication adds another layer of complexity to the ethical
dimension. Messages maybe communicated orally in writing or through body language.
 Whatever the mode is, the ethical elements must be the guiding principle when sending
information. For instance, while it is ethical to inform your professor of your absence
because of sickness, a curt (brusque or maybe bluff) text message replete with
emoticons and abbreviated words in slang is not appropriate.
ETHICAL CONTEXT
 The ethical nature of communication must be considered within the context of who,
when, what, and where. It is important to know who is speaking to whom, what, and
where.
 Suppose fellow employees discussed a project they were working on in a crowded
restaurant and a competitor overheard the conversation. When the employees are
confronted, they may reply; “What did we say wrong? We were not talking to a
competitor. The issue does not concern with what was said or even who they were
 talking to but to where the conversation took place. Evaluations must be made by using
more than one dimension.

Ethical Communicators are not concerned with just who or what or when, but all four
dimensions simultaneously.

All these dimensions should be dealt with together so as to constitute ethical

communication. To avoid unethical communication, be heedful not to fall into ethical dilemma
traps.

ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN COMMUNICATION

1. Plagiarism
2. Selective Misquoting
3. Misrepresenting Numbers
4. Distorting Visuals

PLAGIARISM
 This is defined as the act of presenting another author’s work and claiming it your own.
Although there is nothing wrong with quoting a person, “copying and pasting” passages
without sighting the source is considered fraud and, therefore, illegal and unethical.
SELECTIVE MISQUOTING
 The Cambridge dictionary defines misquoting as the repetition of something someone
has said in a way that is not accurate. Unlike plagiarism, selective misquoting is
deliberately misrepresenting and altering the meaning of someone’s work by taking it
out of context. To a larger extent, essential information is omitted to fabricate a better
but false picture of an individual or institution.
MISREPRESENTING NUMBERS
 This is unethical manipulation of data by increasing, decreasing, altering statistics or
omitting data. A case in point is the Philippine senator who came under fire after
presenting suspicious data showing a drastic drop of murder cases in the Philippines in
2016. The senator’s presentation did not cover similar time periods. The data he plotted
from 2010 all covered full years while 2016 covered only 216 days. The senator’s graph
all significantly differed from the Philippine National Police’s record of crimes in 2016.
DISTORTING VISUALS
 Have you ever been disappointed after ordering a certain item on the menu because
they look much bigger on the photo? This is a business strategy with which the
populace does not agree. Visuals are distorted by making a product look bigger or
smaller to bait customers.