‘Truth on Trial’ Panel Explores Collapse of Institutional Trust in Communications
It doesn’t matter where you work – agency, corporation, advocacy, nonprofit, association or government — ethics in communications used to be easy. Tell the truth and do no harm. You only got in trouble if you deliberately did something you couldn’t tell your mother. But those days are gone, along with the safe sidelines. Everything is political, everything is transparent, and the truth is now subjective. Once a proud profession, more and more communicators are asking “how do we navigate an environment of fake news, false accusations, and instant judgment, where words are weapons?” How do we make ethical decisions when we are going to be criticized no matter what we do or say? Is it appropriate to engage in critical campaigns on social media, and if so, what are the rules? What is “gaslighting,” how does it work, and how do we fight back? What is the bright line between legal and ethical? What is political speech? What are our responsibilities – and our limits – for zealous representation?
Truth on Trial… held at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, in Fairfax VA, the panel features top talent in the legal, communications and media professions to share their best advice on navigating this changing world. Guests include Major Garrett, Chief White House Correspondent, CBS News; Richard Painter, former Chief White House Ethics lawyer during the George W. Bush administration and now Democratic candidate for the Senate from Minnesota and Ty Cobb, Former Special Counsel to the President . More here.
