Ethics in Public Relations: A Guide to Best Practice (PR in Practice)

ETHICAL PERSUASION AN OXYMORON?

If you consider yourself to be a public relations person of integrity, how then can you ensure that your strategies designed to influence the public's attitudes and opinions (persuade) to your point of view ”which by the way is a perfectly acceptable approach in a democratic society ”are ethical and above reproach?

First, you need to understand the difference between persuasion and propaganda. While both are attempts to alter people's opinions and attitudes, propagandists do so only to satisfy the needs of the propagandist. In contrast, persuasion takes into consideration the mutual benefit of both the persuader and those being persuaded. Sounds like socially responsible communication, doesn't it?

Second, there are some very practical considerations for you as the purveyor of the persuasive messages if you want to ensure that you maintain a high degree of integrity in what you're doing.

There are some concrete steps that we can take to avoid the label of propaganda in persuasive communication. Here are some of those:

• Avoid false, fabricated, misrepresented, distorted or irrelevant evidence to support your point of view.

• Avoid intentionally specious, unsupported or illogical reasoning.

• Avoid trying to divert the public's attention by using such approaches as smear campaigns , or evoking intense emotions related to bigotry, God or the devil .

• Avoid asking your public to link your idea to emotion-laden values, motives or goals to which it is not really related.

• Don't conceal your real purpose (or the real supporters of your cause).

• Don't oversimplify complex situations into simplistic, two-valued either/or polar views or choices. ^{[ 1]}

And finally, the one that I think we all need to consider seriously-avoid taking on the role of advocate for something in which you yourself do not believe.

Examine the projects and campaigns you have been involved in lately. Are you guilty of manipulation and propaganda? Even if you fail to recognize it, when it's there you can be certain that someone else will ”and they'll call you on it.

^{[ 1]} Larson, C (1973) Persuasion, Reception and Responsibility , Wads-worth, Belmont, CA