Lesson 2: Communication Ethics

In the previous lesson. you read a short introduction to communication. In this lesson you
will find out that there are different guidelines in communicating in an ethical manner.
While-Reading Question: Why does unethical communication threaten the quality of all
communication, and consequently the well-being of individuals and the society in which
we live?

Lesson Objectives: By the end of this lesson, you should be able to: I know how to
communicate in an ethical manner and 2. apply these ethical principles to their
communication process.

Before-Reading Questions: 1. What is ethics? 2. Why do you think there should be

ethics in communication 3. What problems can arise when people are not ethical in their
communication practices

It is important to understand that whatever we communicate should be guided by

certain ethical principles. The US National Communication Association (NCA, 1999)
discusses this in their Credo for Ethical Communication, stating that, "Ethical
communication is fundamental to responsible thinking, decision-making, and the
development of relationships and communities within and across contexts, cultures,
channels, and media. Moreover, ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity
by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for self
and others. We believe that unethical communication threatens the quality of all
communication and consequently the well-being of individuals and the society in which
we
In their Credo, there are four ethical principles of communication that are especially relevant
for students today.
Firstly, they "advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity
of communication" (NCA, 1999). Nowadays, social media and speeches in public have
been so filled with black propaganda and whitewashing that there is a call to reiterate the
need for truth and honesty. It is important to be accurate when we communicate, and to have
facts and figures to prove our assertions. It is important to be reasonable, rather than to be too
emotional or threatening when we communicate.
Secondly, the NCA also endorses "freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and
tolerance of dissent to achieve the informed and responsible decision-making
fundamental to a civil society" (NCA, 1999). In certain political climates, people
may feel threatened to the point that they no longer feel that it is safe to express
what they feel or think. This is not a good environment to live in. We fully agree
with the NCA that to have a vibrant democracy, we must be able to hear different
perspectives and have a high tolerance for views that are different from ours. It is
important to foster an environment where people feel safe enough to express what
they think and feel, and for these expressions to be met with reasonable dialogue and
debate, rather than outright censure or violence.
Thirdly, the NCA (1999) states that they "condemn communication that degrades
individuals and humanity through distortion, intimidation, coercion, and violence,
and through the expression of intolerance and hatred" (1999). This condemnation is
important because it safeguards society from racism, sexism, and violence against
oppressed peoples. History has shown us that a tolerance for hate speech, as well as
speeches that incite violence and the act of killing, have often instituted such violence in
society, whether this is in the context of slavery, colonialism, or misogyny.
live.

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Chapter 1: Communication in the Twenty-First Century
Lastly, the NCA (1999) states that communicators should "accept responsibility for the
short- and long-term consequences of our own communication and expect the same of
others." All too often, there have been people who do not feel accountable for their
actions. Therefore, if one risks to communicate maliciously, spread false news, or
incite hatred or violence, he or she should be ready to face the consequences of such
actions. States are beginning to realize this, especially in the porous medium of social media.
Everytime we communicate, we should consider the consequences of our
actions. If people were more responsible in their use of communication, there would be
less conflict in this world. Even though the four principles above are short and concise, they are
important, because they help us discern the difference between ethical and unethical
communicators.
Learning Task: Applied Ethics
Divide the class into four groups. Each group should prepare a skit that will show one
ethical principle and what could happen when it is violated. Groups are encouraged to
get real-world examples from current events. 1. Group 1 should take up "truthfulness,
accuracy, honesty, and
reason as essential to the integrity of communication." 2. Group 2 should take up
 "freedom of expression, diversity of
perspective, and tolerance of dissent to achieve the informed and responsible decision-
making fundamental to a civil society." Group 3 should take up "condemn
communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion,
intimidation, coercion, and violence, and through the expression of intolerance and
hatred." Group 4 should take up "accept responsibility for the short and long-term
consequences of our own communication and expect the same of others."
After-Reading Questions: 1. Why is it important to be ethical in communicating
today? 2. Is honesty still a virtue valued today? Why or why not? 3. Can you give
historical examples that show how intolerance of
dissent has been a problem for certain sectors of society? 4. Can you give historical
examples that show why hate speech is
a problem? 5. When you think of politicians today, would you say that they
have been communicating in an ethical manner? Who comes to mind on the subject of
violating the ethics of
communication? 7. Why do people communicate in an unethical manner? 8. What
consequences can you think of because of this?

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