11.1: How To Think About Ethics

Ethical thinking is not its most powerful in extreme cases of wrongdoing. The journalism industry decided long ago that plagiarizing from someone else's work is wrong. So is lying about a fact, or making up sources, to create a more sensational story. Though it might take willpower to avoid, wrongdoing does not demand arduous ethical thinking to know not do those things.

Ethical thinking is also not particularly helpful when it comes to acts of heroism — if a journalist knowingly risks her or his life to find the truth about something that benefits the world, that is great, but it does not mean all journalists who would not risk their lives are unethical. There is, however, an ethical issue that lurks nearby (as you will see below).

Ethics is more useful in the gray areas, when two or more ethically legitimate actions present themselves to a journalist, from which he or she must make a decision.

Examples of Ethical Dilemmas

I asked Google Gemini to give me a list of current, relevant ethical topics for journalists. After a few tries, it developed a pretty good list:

Journalists in 2025 face a range of ethical dilemmas that balance the public's right to know against individual safety, accuracy, and professional integrity.

• Transparency in AI Usage: Determining how to clearly label AI-generated content or visuals and deciding when AI automation compromises the human element of reporting.
• Privacy vs. Public Interest: Weighing an individual’s right to privacy against the public's need for information, particularly when handling personal data or reporting on private figures involved in news events.
• Speed vs. Accuracy: Navigating the pressure of a 24/7 digital news cycle to be "first" while ensuring that facts are thoroughly verified to prevent the spread of misinformation.
• Protecting Vulnerable Sources: Managing the risk of harm to whistleblowers, children, or victims of crimes, especially when their identity could lead to physical or digital retaliation.
• Conflict of Interest with Personal Brands: Evolving norms regarding journalists acting as "influencers" on social media and whether accepting brand deals or sponsored content undermines their editorial independence.
• Navigating Political Pressure and Bias: Maintaining impartiality while reporting in highly polarized environments or under government pressure to present specific narratives.
• Reporting on Traumatic Events: Determining how to cover tragedies or conflict zones with empathy for those affected without resorting to exploitative or sensationalist imagery.
• Sensationalism and Clickbait: Choosing between generating traffic through provocative headlines and providing nuanced, substantive journalism that may receive less engagement.
• Self-Censorship for Safety: Deciding whether to withhold certain truths or stories to avoid physical danger, doxxing, or legal intimidation from powerful entities.
• Verification of User-Generated Content: The ethical challenge of using photos or videos from social media without the explicit consent of the poster or thorough verification of the content's context.

How do you work through such issues? First off, it is important to understand the context around ethical journalism. Then it is important to examine your own intentions, actions and values. So let's dive in.