Ethical challenges in online social networks: the content production and the opinion of professionals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7764/cdi.46.1473Keywords:
ethics, public relations, online social networks, paid content, digital influencersAbstract
Communication with a commercial purpose, developed to promote brands and sell products, services or ideas concerns the field of ethical analysis, as the commercial objective of paid and sponsored content must be disclosed, for the sake of transparency and to respect the readers. The starting question “What is the opinion of content producers on ethical practices in their production?” guides this research, which aims to assess the opinions of communication professionals regarding ethical and unethical practices derived from the relationship with bloggers and influencers in online social networks. We used the qualitative method, conducting seven semi-structured in-depth interviews with public relations professionals and journalists, and an interpretative analysis of the results. In specific terms, we defined the following objectives: to understand what requirements the use of influencers in online social networks (including blogs) must have to be considered an ethical practice, and to compare the opinions of paid content producers and journalists regarding ethical practices in a digital environment. We have concluded that there are increasing ethical concerns related to credibility of content producers, bloggers, and digital influencers.
References
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Lahav, T. & Zimand-Sheiner, D. (2016). Public relations and the practice of paid content: Practical, theoretical propositions and ethical implications. Public Relations Review, 42(3), 395-401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2016.02.003
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Sebastião, S. P., Zulato, G., & Santos, T. B. (2017). Public relations practitioners’ attitudes towards the ethical use of social media in Portuguese speaking countries. Public Relations Review, 43(3), 537-546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.03.012
Sedereviciute, K. & Valentini, C. (2011). Towards a more holistic stakeholder analysis approach. Mapping known and undiscovered stakeholders from social media. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 5(4), 221-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2011.592170
Smith, B. G. & Taylor, M. (2017). Empowering Engagement: Understanding Social Media User Sense of Influence. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 11(2), 148-164. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2017.1284072
Sriramesh, K., Zerfass, A., & Kim, J. N. (2013). Public relations and communication management: current trends and emerging topics. New York, NY: Routledge.
Tang, Q., Gu, B., & Whinston, A. B. (2012). Content contribution for revenue sharing and reputation in social media: A dynamic structural model. Journal of Management Information Systems, 29(2), 41-76. https://doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222290203
Toledano, M. (2018). Dialogue, strategic communication, and ethical public relations: Lessons from Martin Buber’s political activism. Public Relations Review, 44(1), 131-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.09.009
Toledano, M. & Wolland, L. F. (2011). Ethics 2.0: Social media implications for professional communicators. Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics, 8(3/4), 43-52. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/6011
Toledano, M. & Avidar, R. (2016). Public relations, ethics, and social media: A cross-national study of PR practitioners. Public Relations Review, 42(1), 161-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2015.11.012
Topping, A. (January 9, 2011). Twitter endorsements face OFT clampdown. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com
Trammell, K. D. & Keshelashvili, A. (2005). Examining the New Influencers: A Self-Presentation Study of A-List Blogs. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 82(4), 968-982. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769900508200413
Valentini, C. (2015). Is using social media “good” for the public relations profession? A critical reflection. Public Relations Review, 41(2), 170-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.11.009
Wojdynski, B. W., Evans, N. J., & Hoy, M. G. (2017). Measuring Sponsorship Transparency in the Age of Native Advertising. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 52(1), 115-137. https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12144
Baker, S. & Martinson, D. L. (2001). The TARES test: Five principles for ethical persuasion. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 16(2-3), 148-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/08900523.2001.9679610
Bechmann, A. & Lomborg, S. (2013). Mapping actor roles in social media: Different perspectives on value creation in theories of user participation. New media & society, 15(5), 765-781. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444812462853
Bowen, S. A. (2007, October 30). Ethics and Public Relations. Retrieved from http://www.instituteforpr.org/ethics-and- public-relations/
Bowen, S. A. (2013). Using classic social media cases to distill ethical guidelines for digital engagement. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 28(2), 119-133. https://doi.org/10.1080/08900523.2013.793523
Bowen, S. A., Hung-Baesecke, C. J. F., & Chen, Y. R. R. (2016). Ethics as a precursor to organization–public relationships: Building trust before and during the OPR model. Cogent Social Sciences, 2(1), 1141467. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2016.1141467
Camargo, I., Estevanim, M., & Silveira, S. C. D. (2017). Cultura participativa e convergente: o cenário que favorece o nascimento dos influenciadores digitais (Participatory and convergent culture: scenario that favors birth of digital influencers). Revista Communicare, 17, 96-118. Retrieved from https://casperlibero.edu.br/communicare-17-edicao-especial-de-70-anos-da-faculdade-casper-libero/
Dreyer, B. M. (2017). Relações públicas e influenciadores digitais: abordagens para a gestão do relacionamento na contemporaneidade (Public relations and digital influencers: approaches to contemporary relationship management). Communicare, 17, 62-75. Retrieved from https://casperlibero.edu.br/communicare-17-edicao-especial-de-70-anos-da-faculdade-casper-libero/
Ess, C. (2013). Digital media ethics. Cambridge, U.K.: Polity Press.
Eyrich, N., Padman, M. L., & Sweetser, K. D. (2008). PR practitioners’ use of social media tools and communication technology. Public Relations Review, 34(4), 412-414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2008.09.010
Gallicano, T. D., Brett, K., & Hopp, T. (2013). Is ghost blogging like speechwriting? A survey of practitioners about the ethics of ghost blogging. Public Relations Journal, 7(3), 1-41. Retrieved from https://apps.prsa.org/intelligence/PRJournal/past-editions/Vol7/No3
Gonçalves, G. M. P. (2007). Ética das relações públicas. A falta de responsabilidade social nos Códigos Éticos de Relações Públicas (Public relations ethics. The lack of social responsibility in the Public Relations Ethics Codes). Paper presented at the IX Congress of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR).
Grunig, J. E. & Hunt, T. T. (1984). Managing public relations. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Howe, P. & Teufel, B. (2014). Native advertising and digital natives: The effects of age and advertisement format on news website credibility judgements. ISOJ Journal, 4(1), 78-90. Retrieved from https://isoj.org/journal/volume-4-issue-1/
Ikonen, P., Luoma-aho, V., & Bowen, S. A. (2017). Transparency for Sponsored Content: Analysing Codes of Ethics in Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising and Journalism. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 11(2), 165-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2016.1252917
Jensen, R. (2011). Blogola, sponsored posts and the ethics of blogging. In B. E. Drushel & K. German (Eds.), The ethics of emerging media: Information, social norms, and new media technology (pp. 213-229). New York, NY: Routledge.
Kang, M. (2014). Understanding public engagement: Conceptualizing and measuring its influence on supportive behavioral intentions. Journal of Public Relations Research, 26(5), 399-416. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2014.956107
Kaplan, A. M. & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003
Karhawi, I (2017). Influenciadores digitais: conceitos e práticas em discussão. Communicare, 17, 46-61. Retrieved from https://casperlibero.edu.br/communicare-17-edicao-especial-de-70-anos-da-faculdade-casper-libero
Kent, M. L. & Taylor, M. (2002). Towards a dialogic theory of public relations. Public relations review, 28(1), 21-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0363-8111(02)00108-X
Lahav, T. & Roth-Cohen, O. (2016). The changing blogosphere and its impact on public relations practice and professional ethics: The Israeli case. Public Relations Review, 42(5), 929-931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2016.08.006
Lahav, T. & Zimand-Sheiner, D. (2016). Public relations and the practice of paid content: Practical, theoretical propositions and ethical implications. Public Relations Review, 42(3), 395-401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2016.02.003
Macnamara, J. (2016). The continuing convergence of journalism and PR: New insights for ethical practice from a three-country study of senior practitioners. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 93(1), 118-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699015605803
Manovich, L. (2001). The language of new media. Cambridge, UK: The MIT Press.
Marsh, S. (2017, October 5). Social media stars breaching rules on promoting brands, watchdog says. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com
Motion, J., Heath, R. L., & Leitch, S. (2015). Social media and public relations: Fake friends and powerful publics. New York, NY: Routledge.
Neill, M. S. & Weaver, N. (2017). Silent & unprepared: Most millennial practitioners have not embraced role as ethical conscience. Public Relations Review, 43(2), 337-344.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.01.002
Reimão, C. (2017). A Ética no contexto das Ciências Humanas (Ethics in the context of the Humanities). In M. C. P. Neves (Ed.), Ética: dos Fundamentos às Práticas, Vol. 1 (Ethics: from Fundamentals to Practices, Vol. 1) (pp. 245-262). Lisboa, PT: Edições 70.
Sebastião, S. P. (2017). Transparência nos formatos de comunicação comercial: conteúdos patrocinados online e o seu intento (Transparency in commercial communication formats: sponsored content online and its intention). In T. Ruão, R. Neves, & J. Zilmar (Eds.), A Comunicação Organizacional e os desafios tecnológicos: estudos sobre a influência tecnológica nos processos de comunicação nas organizações (Organizational Communication and technological challenges: studies on the technological influence on communication processes in organizations) (pp. 187-202). Braga, Portugal: CECS.
Sebastião, S. P., Zulato, G., & Santos, T. B. (2017). Public relations practitioners’ attitudes towards the ethical use of social media in Portuguese speaking countries. Public Relations Review, 43(3), 537-546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.03.012
Sedereviciute, K. & Valentini, C. (2011). Towards a more holistic stakeholder analysis approach. Mapping known and undiscovered stakeholders from social media. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 5(4), 221-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2011.592170
Smith, B. G. & Taylor, M. (2017). Empowering Engagement: Understanding Social Media User Sense of Influence. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 11(2), 148-164. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2017.1284072
Sriramesh, K., Zerfass, A., & Kim, J. N. (2013). Public relations and communication management: current trends and emerging topics. New York, NY: Routledge.
Tang, Q., Gu, B., & Whinston, A. B. (2012). Content contribution for revenue sharing and reputation in social media: A dynamic structural model. Journal of Management Information Systems, 29(2), 41-76. https://doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222290203
Toledano, M. (2018). Dialogue, strategic communication, and ethical public relations: Lessons from Martin Buber’s political activism. Public Relations Review, 44(1), 131-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.09.009
Toledano, M. & Wolland, L. F. (2011). Ethics 2.0: Social media implications for professional communicators. Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics, 8(3/4), 43-52. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/6011
Toledano, M. & Avidar, R. (2016). Public relations, ethics, and social media: A cross-national study of PR practitioners. Public Relations Review, 42(1), 161-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2015.11.012
Topping, A. (January 9, 2011). Twitter endorsements face OFT clampdown. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com
Trammell, K. D. & Keshelashvili, A. (2005). Examining the New Influencers: A Self-Presentation Study of A-List Blogs. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 82(4), 968-982. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769900508200413
Valentini, C. (2015). Is using social media “good” for the public relations profession? A critical reflection. Public Relations Review, 41(2), 170-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.11.009
Wojdynski, B. W., Evans, N. J., & Hoy, M. G. (2017). Measuring Sponsorship Transparency in the Age of Native Advertising. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 52(1), 115-137. https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12144
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Published
2020-10-20
How to Cite
Antunes, C. ., & Pedro Sebastiao, S. . (2020). Ethical challenges in online social networks: the content production and the opinion of professionals. Cuadernos.Info, (46), 222–248. https://doi.org/10.7764/cdi.46.1473
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