Communication Ethics Flashcards

A communicator is pressured by management to omit a material risk from an investor relations report. Ethically, they should:

Answer: Refuse and escalate the issue, documenting their objection

Omitting material information from investor communications is both unethical and potentially illegal; the ethical path is refusal, escalation, and documentation.

Which of the following best describes the ethical standard of 'responsible advocacy' in professional communication?

Answer: Serving clients while simultaneously serving the broader public interest

Responsible advocacy means representing clients effectively while maintaining obligations to truthfulness, fairness, and the broader public good.

A company's social media team is asked to create fake grassroots support ('astroturfing') for a legislative initiative. This practice is unethical primarily because it:

Answer: Deceives policymakers and the public about the true source and level of support

Astroturfing is fundamentally deceptive — it disguises organized corporate advocacy as spontaneous public sentiment, corrupting the democratic process.

When communicators face a conflict between their employer's instructions and their professional ethical obligations, the ABC's position is that they should:

Answer: Prioritize professional ethics, counseling clients away from unethical actions

Professional ethics codes, including those governing ABC credential holders, hold that professional ethical obligations take precedence over employer directives.

A communicator working for a nonprofit is asked to use donor funds for an undisclosed purpose different from what was stated in fundraising appeals. This violates:

Answer: The ethical principle of fidelity and keeping commitments to stakeholders

Using donor funds for purposes other than those disclosed in fundraising materials violates the ethical obligation of fidelity — keeping the commitments made to stakeholders.

In developing a communication strategy, which approach most reflects the ethical principle of 'respecting audience autonomy'?

Answer: Providing complete, accurate information that enables the audience to make their own informed decisions

Respecting autonomy means providing the information audiences need to make genuinely free and informed choices, rather than engineering their decisions.

When a communicator represents an industry group's positions in public testimony, full ethical compliance requires:

Answer: Clearly identifying the organization and its interests at the outset of testimony

Transparency about the source and interests behind public testimony is an ethical requirement, ensuring audiences can properly weigh the perspective being presented.