Ethics in Public Relations Flashcards

What is the primary professional code of ethics that guides PR practitioners in the United States?

Answer: The PRSA Code of Ethics

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Code of Ethics is the primary ethical framework guiding PR professionals in the United States.

Which core PRSA ethical value requires practitioners to be truthful and never knowingly communicate false information?

Answer: Honesty

Honesty is a core PRSA ethical value requiring practitioners to be truthful, accurate, and to never knowingly communicate false or misleading information.

What is 'astroturfing' in public relations ethics?

Answer: Creating fake grassroots movements to simulate public support

Astroturfing is the unethical practice of creating fake grassroots movements or manufactured public support to make a paid campaign appear authentic and spontaneous.

Which PRSA core value requires PR professionals to be objective, accountable, and disclose conflicts of interest?

Answer: Independence

Independence requires practitioners to remain objective and accountable, which includes disclosing conflicts of interest to serve the broader public interest.

What is a 'conflict of interest' in public relations ethics?

Answer: A situation where personal or financial interests could compromise professional judgment

A conflict of interest occurs when a PR practitioner's personal, financial, or professional interests could improperly influence or compromise their professional judgment or actions.

Which ethical practice requires PR professionals to clearly identify paid or sponsored content to audiences?

Answer: Full disclosure

Full disclosure requires PR professionals to be transparent about the nature and source of communications, including clearly identifying any paid or sponsored content.

In the PRSA Code of Ethics, what does the principle of 'fairness' require PR practitioners to do?

Answer: Respect all opinions and support the right to free expression

The PRSA ethical principle of fairness requires respecting all opinions, supporting the right to free expression, and protecting privacy rights in a democratic society.

What does the FTC require when a blogger or social media influencer promotes a product in the US?

Answer: They must disclose their material relationship with the brand

The FTC requires bloggers, influencers, and endorsers to disclose any material connection (such as payment or free products) to the brand they are promoting.

A PR practitioner discovers their client is engaged in illegal activity. What does the PRSA Code of Ethics advise?

Answer: Counsel the client to stop and consider resigning if they refuse to comply

PRSA ethics require practitioners to counsel clients against illegal or unethical activities, and practitioners should consider resigning if the client refuses to act ethically.

What is 'greenwashing' in the context of PR ethics?

Answer: Making false or misleading environmental claims to appear more eco-friendly

Greenwashing is the unethical practice of making false or exaggerated environmental claims to create the impression that a company or product is more environmentally responsible than it actually is.

Which practice violates the PRSA Code of Ethics by corrupting the information channels of the media?

Answer: Paying journalists directly for favorable news coverage

Paying journalists for favorable coverage (pay-for-play) is explicitly prohibited by the PRSA Code of Ethics because it corrupts the integrity and independence of media channels.

What is a 'front group' in terms of PR ethics violations?

Answer: An organization that appears independent but is secretly funded by a hidden special interest

A front group is an organization that presents itself as independent or grassroots but is secretly funded and controlled by a hidden special interest, which constitutes deceptive communication.

In whistleblower situations, what is a PR practitioner's primary ethical responsibility?

Answer: Balance loyalty to employer with the obligation to protect the public interest

PR practitioners must balance their professional loyalty to their employer with their broader ethical obligation to protect the public interest and avoid participating in concealing wrongdoing.

Simultaneously representing two directly competing clients in the same industry creates what type of ethical problem?

Answer: Conflict of interest

Representing competing clients in the same industry creates a conflict of interest because the practitioner cannot fully and independently serve both clients' strategic interests without compromising one.

The Potter Box is a widely used ethical decision-making model in PR. What is the first step in this four-step model?

Answer: Define the situation by establishing the facts of the case

The Potter Box model begins with defining the situation (establishing the facts of the case) before progressing to identifying values, applying ethical principles, and choosing loyalties.

Which organization established the first formal code of ethics for public relations practitioners in the United States?

Answer: PRSA (Public Relations Society of America)

PRSA established the first professional code of ethics for PR practitioners in the United States, originally adopted in 1950 and revised multiple times since.

Which ethical concept requires PR professionals to consider the impact of their actions on all affected groups, not just the paying client?

Answer: Stakeholder responsibility

Stakeholder responsibility requires PR practitioners to consider the interests and potential impacts on all affected parties, extending ethical consideration beyond just the paying client.

Under the PRSA Code of Ethics, what obligation does a PR professional retain regarding a former client after changing employers?

Answer: They must maintain confidentiality of former clients' proprietary information

The PRSA Code requires practitioners to protect the confidentiality of current and former clients' proprietary information even after the professional relationship ends.

What is 'two-way symmetric communication,' considered by many scholars to be the most ethical PR model?

Answer: An equal dialogue where both organization and public can mutually influence each other

Two-way symmetric communication, developed by James Grunig, represents the most ethical PR model because it creates genuine dialogue allowing mutual understanding and influence between organizations and their publics.

What should a PR practitioner do if a client instructs them to spread disinformation about a competitor?

Answer: Decline and explain that it violates professional ethics and the PRSA Code

Spreading disinformation violates core PRSA ethical principles of honesty and fairness; practitioners must decline such requests even at the cost of losing the client.