The Only Way is Ethics

With the prolific and widespread use of social media much is written and broadcast about the ethics and morals of how we as individuals or businesses behave and interact. With this exponentially expanding and readily accessible means of communication every act or comment is open to scrutiny.

There is much debate about standards of behaviour and what is deemed to be right or wrong. This is blurred by the argument about what is proper and legal and what is ethically acceptable.

In simple terms, nowadays legal issues are defined by parliament and the courts whereas what is deemed ethically acceptable is dependent on society’s norms and standards. The two do not always agree. The very idea that there is an objective set of “rules” that underpins the way we ought to behave has been debated for hundreds of years. Modern society seems to function fairly well without having a formally defined set of fundamental ethical principles.

For example there is the age old argument about tax evasion and tax avoidance. One is illegal and the other although legal is questionable from an ethical perspective. In your business dealings where do you stand? Do you scrutinise and judge your relationship with clients on subjective ethical standards or is it business at any cost? Are your business behaviours entirely above board or do you consider it acceptable to occasionally “bend the rules”? Is it your moral compass or fear of being caught that makes you hesitate?

Of course a significant majority of us behave and do business in an acceptable manner both legally, morally and ethically. But regrettably rogues do exist. With high profile campaigns such as #MeToo now prevalent, our every action and comment is open to approval or censure in the public arena.

So has social media become the new moral and ethical police?