Ethical or not Ethical, that is the question.

When I think about research in the pr field I think about gathering information, evaluating information, applying the research. But I never really thought about the ethics side in research. The being trustworthy, accurate in social media. In chapter 33 our book states that when people are involved issues are involved and with mixed understandings comes ethical implications. An example from this chapter was an online survey was being conducted regarding sexual behavior. The respondents were told the survey answers would be anonymous, yet the company provided respondent-level detail and IP addresses to the client for follow-up. This type of behavior is just wrong. It simply comes down to of you say you are going to do something and abide by certain rules, do it.

            When I think social media and ethics a few things come to mind. Mainly and recently I think of reality television. In an article I read about reality TV and what goes on in front of and behind the camera one producer even says “producers have no ethical core.” The producers, in the end, are going to get the cast to do things to better the show, better profit, better for the audience.

            The characters do have to sign a form of consent before they do the show, so are producers contradicting what is in that form? Many reality shows are popular and watched by the teenage audience. What are these viewers learning from watching the show and then hearing the characters after show talk about how their actions and lives on the show differ from outside of the show.

            The TV is such a powerful media in our society today, and we should be trying to make individuals look good since they become role models for some viewers. I personally think of the reality show The Hills on MTV. After this past season one of the characters talked to cameras off the air of the show and revealed how she felt, being treated unfairly by producers. Or most of all portrayed unfairly on the show. She said she is currently writing a book to explain the real her and what was really going on. This is one way to fight back against the ethics that are deceiving in the social media world.