Code of Ethics: Preamble This code of ethics is my personal beliefs. It outlines the values that are important to me and serves to be a reference for ethical dilemmas that may arise in my future. As a student of communication, it is essential that I draw boundaries and understand every aspect of a situation before I act. Mass communication especially has a large reach and the potential to affect large groups of people. My interests specifically lie in new and digital media and it’s production. The access to such media is unprecedented in the modern era and what is uploaded to the internet often never comes back down. Acting in a way that is ethical and fair to all people involved is the responsibility of all people who work in the field of …show more content…
New media has opened the door to democratized production and consumption. The dilemma that arises with this mass consumption is it’s origin. Often times, people consume and pass on facts and pieces of multimedia without out thinking of the origin. Was a video of someone uploaded without consent? Was a news story poorly researched? It’s important to be an educated consumer of media now more than ever. Credibility While transparency when a mistake is made is important, it’s not enough (Lipschultz 2013). As a member of the media landscape, I have a duty to tell the truth. Unverified facts and stories have no place. Though there is often a rush to break news or have the idea first, credibility and the duty to the public should always be in the forefront of my mind. Accountability Online media platforms are gaining millions of users each day, and with that organizations that control their respective spheres of influence. New media organizations must be held accountable for their platforms goings on. For example, Twitter must monitor hate speech and Facebook must halt the spread of fake news. On a more individual level, taking full responsibility for errors, unexpected outcomes, etc. on social media is how I can ensure I’m acting ethically online. Online, objectivity is becoming less common and informed commentary is on the …show more content…
In our civilized society, Kane’s rule of universality has many applications. His strict and meritorious duties provide clear outlines of what is and is not ethically sound. Of course, every ethical dilemma is unique and must be considered independently of one another, so Kantian ethics may not be able to be applied in the same manner every time. That being said, focusing on the act and questioning universality of it is a good starting point for questioning whether a situation is respectable. Revision As a student, I am still learning about the field of communication. I am of the opinion that my education will not end once I graduate. I cannot foresee what my future holds, and I am certain that I will face ethical dilemmas that would have never occurred to me at this point in my life. Some forms of new media are still emerging (e.g. virtual and augmented reality technologies) and all of the possible ethical ramifications have not been flushed out yet. This code of ethics is open to interpretation and revision as my experience and knowledge develops along with the