PR and ethics_revisions needed

According to German philosopher Immanuel Kant, telling the truth is a universal law and human beings are always obligated to tell the truth. According to Paula Tomkins in her book, Practicing Communication Ethics, “truth in communication concerns the dimension of communication, specifically that the content of communication is accurate, and the information communicated is reliable,” (Tomkins, 2016). In the realm of public relations, practitioners are often torn by their obligation to serve their client’s communication desires zestfully, while promoting the client’s product or service, as they simultaneously adhere to the strict requirement of honesty in public communications. This strict requirement comes in the form of ethical guidelines such as those provided by the Public Relations Society of America, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and the National Press Photographers Association just to name a few. Without such guidelines, the obligation to be truthful in PR campaigns would be further strained than it already is.

The Public Relations Society of America code of ethics includes the values of advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty, and fairness. According to the PRSA website, “these values provide the foundation” for member ethical codes “and set the industry standard for the professional practice of public relations.” Using words like “integrity” and “truth” the PRSA code presents an obligation toward honesty in publicity. Yet while using words like “faithfulness” and “obligation,” the code establishes an adherence to serve the client (PRSA, 2017). Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge in their book, Putting the Public Back in Public Relations, contend that “businesses often expect PR to perform miracles just because they confuse it with advertising” (Solis & Breakenridge, 2009). For this reason, the PRSA code also includes the concept of adhering to “objective counsel” when dealing with clients – the connotations of the word “objective” emphasized here. While an organization’s leadership will have a strong desire to push a certain message, PR professionals are still bound by an obligation to truth. And this obligation to truth, while it may not be easily and immediately obvious to the client; in the long run honesty pays off in the end. “As speakers, we want others to trust us and take us seriously and, so, we speak truthfully. The communication of a liar in not worthy of trust” (Tomkins, 2016). It is important that PR professionals execute truthful communication campaigns and messages.

The American Institute of Graphic Arts, which is an organization that serves as an “advocate for a greater understanding of the value of design and designers in government, business, and media” (AIGA, 2017) also lays out ethical guidelines as related to visual communication. This code also includes a “responsibility to clients” along with a balanced “responsibility to the public” – proclaiming effort and activities that “engages in fair and balanced communication (AIGA, 2010).

According to reference.com, ethics are best described as “social guidelines” that are based upon “moral principles and values.” On the other hand, law involves specific rules and regulations established by varying authorities that often hold “penalties or consequences when violated” (Reference, 2016). For example, the concept of violating a person’s right to privacy is often where ethics and law meet in the communication field – going to the concepts of false light and appropriation. Roy Moore and Michael Murray cite American legal scholar William L. Prosser’s four torts relating to “invasion of privacy.” They are;

1. Appropriation of one’s person’s name or likeness for the benefit or advantage of another.

2. Intrusion upon an individual’s physical solitude or seclusion.

3. Public disclosure of highly objectionable private facts.

4. Publicity that places an individual in a false light in the public eye.

(Moore & Murray, 2012)

The thing is, law is going to do very little for overstating the positive attributes of PR clients. For this reason, PR professionals are more ethically bound to truth than they are legally bond. Again, this further demonstrates the need for ethical guidelines as those discussed in this paper.

While the AIGA code of ethics does specify that designers “shall not make false claims nor knowingly misinform” and will “avoid false, misleading and deceptive promotion,” (AIGA, 2010) the code does not get into specific guidance on how advancements in technology have allowed for the somewhat deceptive practices of “The Photoshop Effect,” (DietHealth, 2016) detailed in a Diet Health YouTube video of that name. Digital photograph technology and photographic software currently allow for a literal infinity of misrepresentations of a photographed subject – a topic contend by in general mandates for honesty and truthfulness but not specifically addressed in the codes of either AIGA or PRSA.

The National Press Photographers Association; however, clearly states that photographers “be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects” and that “editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images’ content and context.” The code also states that photographers “not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects” (NPPA, 2017); however, according to the Diet Health YouTube video, manipulating the appearance of models and celebrities in photographs is very common place (DietHealth, 2016). Granted, when comparing the PRSA, AIGA and the NPPA there is a difference between journalism and art. However, I feel the codes could better address the issue that does in my opinion, misrepresent the subject matter.

This treatment began with the philosophy of Kant. Tomkins interprets Kant’s thoughts on telling the truth. She states that “telling the truth respects the dignity of others as decision makers, while telling lies treats people as objects to be used” (Tomkins, 2016). We must remember that there exists the fact that within public relations there is often a diametrically opposed mandate within ethical codes to support the client’s interests while at the same time serving the interest of the public. For example, a model or celebrity who is presented in a magazine as blemish less and unrealistically thin, due to digital manipulations, may present a nearly unattainable standard of beauty to young girls. Communication codes not only need to continue to exist in their current forms, but they need to be adjusted to accommodate for such digital manipulations. As the codes stand, without specifics on image manipulation, they are contradictory to their included mandate to adhere to honesty and truth while communicating visually.

References

DietHealth (2016) . The Photoshop Effect . YouTube . June 16, 2008 . retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP31r70_QNM

AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) (2017A) . About . retrieved June 20, 2017 from http://www.aiga.org/about/

AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) (2010) . AIGA Standards of professional practice . November 2010 . retrieved from http://www.aiga.org/standards-professional-practice

Moore, R.; & Murray, M. (2012) . Media Law and Ethics . Ed. 4th . New York . Routledge . 2012

NPPA (The National Press Photographers Association) (2017) .Code of Ethics. https://nppa.org/code_of_ethics

PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) . (2017) . PRSA Member Statement of Professional Values . Member Code of Ethics . retrieved from https://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/CodeEnglish/index.html#MemberStatement

Reference (2016) . What is the difference between ethics and law? . Government and Politics . retrieved Nov. 6, 2016 from https://www.reference.com/government-politics/difference-between-ethics-law-1b772dd7ebc7cd74

Solis, B. & Breakenridge, D. (2009) . Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR . Pearson Education . Upper Saddle, N.J. 2009

Tomkins, P. (2016) . Practicing Communication Ethics . Routledge . New York .2016