This document discusses ethics in public relations. It introduces several frameworks for analyzing ethics, including deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics. It also outlines some common ethical issues that public relations practitioners may face, such as greenwashing, lack of transparency online, and situations where their values may be compromised. Three hypothetical scenarios are presented that illustrate these issues and ask how a PR professional should respond. The document concludes by listing some basic ethical principles and guidelines from professional organizations.

1. Ethics in
Public Relations
Katie Stansberry
kpontius@uoregon.edu

2. Is PR an Ethical Practice?

3. Choosing the Right Path
• Why is it right?
–Intrinsic (good in itself)
• i.e. not telling lies
–Extrinsic (good because of its
results)
• i.e. telling a lie to save a life

4. Ways we study ethics
• Normative
– What is ethical?
• Applied
– What choice would be ethical in
this particular situation?
• Descriptive
– Was that action or decision
ethical?

5. Ethical Egoism
• Normative position
• People should do what is
in their own self interest
• All autonomy and no
responsibility
• Looking out only for
yourself

6. Virtue Ethics
• Aristotle’s ethics
• Emphasis on building
personal character, not
reasoning
• Do good things until it
becomes habitual
• Virtue is achieved through
practice

7. Kantian Perspective
• Deontology (duty)
• Abstract conception of
common right and
wrong, no matter the
situation
• Obligation to do the
right thing
• Ethical standards apply at all times to all
people, including you

8. Utilitarian Perspective
• Consequentialist (consider all consequences)
• Find the option that leads to the greatest
benefit for the largest number of people
• Minimize pain for most people
• Majority is favored, but the minority is
considered

9. Situation Ethics
• One absolute principle:
– To love one another as I
have loved you
• People are central to
decision making
• Situations and context are
of great importance
• Determine what is the
most loving thing to do
• No absolutes

10. Ethics in Public Relations
• No single standard of ethical practice
• No enforceable “rules” or governing body
• Several guidelines for ethics in PR
– The Public Relations Society of America
• www.prsa.org
– International Association of Business Communicators
• www.iabc.com
– The Word Of Mouth Marketing Association Ethics
Code
• www.womma.org

11. The Basics
• Be open and honest
• Do not hide relevant information (lie by omission)
• Do not misrepresent yourself
• Treat your publics with respect
• Practitioners are responsible for their actions (no
Nuremburg defense)
• Practice loyalty to both clients and publics
• Be fair in dealings with all stakeholder groups

12. Ethical Issue #1: Greenwashing
Would you buy a car from this man?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMNECJpUepQ

13. Greenwashing
Imagine you are the public relations representative for
a small company that manufactures widgets. You
recently opened a factory in southern California that
operates entirely on solar generated energy. You have
six other factories built over 10 years ago that use
outdated, non-energy efficient technology in their
operations. You are asked to develop and launch a
publicity campaign focusing on the new factory and
promoting your company’s commitment to green
manufacturing.
What do you do?

14. Ethical Issue #2: Transparency
• Anonymous nature of online communication has
led to questionable tactics by public relations
practitioners
• Walmart fake blogging scandal
• Ghost twitterers
– 50 Cent
– Britney Spears
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/technology/inter
net/27twitter.html
• Product rankings and reviews
– Amazon.com author rankings and comments

15. Transparency
Imagine you are working out the final details of a PR contract
with a new client. When the client sees you have included
participation in social media on his behalf as part of the
plan he gets excited and says, “I’m so glad you’ll be taking
that on. I was running out of fake names to use when I
commented about our company.” When you tell him you’ll
be glad to participate in online conversations for him but
that you will have to be open about representing the
company, he tells you that won’t be as effective and implies
that there are plenty of other PR agencies who would be
willing to do things his way.
What do you do?

16. Ethical Issue #3:
Moral Compromises
• Communications
people often find
themselves between a
rock and a hard place
• In the end, public
relations is a business
• Identify the lines you
won’t cross and stick to
them
• Quitting is always an
option

17. Moral Compromises
Imagine you are the events manager for a nonprofit that
provides services to homebound elderly people. You
decide to hold a diabetes walk to raise awareness of
the problem of severe type 2 diabetes among the
elderly and to raise funds to subsidize medication for
elderly diabetics. KrispyKreme, who donates a hefty
sum to your organization every year, offers to provide
free coffee, water and food for participants in exchange
for signage at the event.
What do you do?

18. Friday, May 15 beginning at 9 a.m.
The Turnbull Center in Portland
Keynote speaker:
Brooke Gladstone, co-host and managing editor
of WNYC'squot;On the Media”
http://jcomm.uoregon.edu/hulteng/