Trust, Transparency and Tech:
Navigating Ethics in Today’s Communications
By Anmol Harjani
As National Ethics Awareness Month arrives each March, it offers an important moment to reflect on how ethical decision-making shapes the way we work, lead and communicate. Ethics has always been a cornerstone of professional practice, but in today’s rapidly evolving communications landscape, where AI tools and digital technologies are becoming central, ethical choices are more complex and consequential than ever.
To explore these challenges, we connected with Martin Waxman, MCM, APR, an adjunct professor at the Schulich School of Business and McMaster Master of Communications Management program, and associate director of the Future of Marketing Institute. Martin brings a unique perspective at the intersection of ethics, technology, and communications leadership, guiding professionals on how to navigate emerging tools responsibly while building and maintaining trust.
We spoke with Martin about the ethical risks of AI in communications, practical ways leaders can balance innovation with accountability, and the skills communicators need to uphold integrity in a fast-changing world. From bias and transparency to trust and decision-making, here’s what he had to share.
Ethics has always been important in communications, but it feels even more critical today. From your perspective, what has changed in the past few years that makes ethical decision-making more complex?
In my mind, ethics has never had as much significance to communications professionals than right now. As we’re being swept up in the swirl of AI hype and tools, it’s getting more difficult to make sense of the changes happening to the way we work and build relationships. Ethical decision-making helps slow down our thought process, and lets us take the time to step back, pause, assess and analyse the situation from different perspectives, as we formulate our response.
With AI becoming embedded in communications workflows, where do you see the biggest ethical risks or blind spots that professionals should be paying attention to right now?
I believe AI is responsible for both new ethical challenges and amplifying many old ones. For instance, bias has always been an issue PR professionals had to pay attention to and manage. And AI systems, like people, have biases. Which is why we need to pay close attention to AI outputs and ensure we minimize any biases we find in a system’s response. Other issues include privacy and safety of an organization’s customer and employee data and personal information. How are you safeguarding that? Do you have permission to collect and use it? And of course, there’s transparency and accountability. Does your organization disclose how you use AI? Do you have a policy that you communicate internally and externally? Those are just some of the issues we need to watch.
How can communications leaders balance innovation and speed with responsibility and accountability, especially when using emerging technologies?
There’s no denying we’re in the middle of a period of overwhelming change. And it’s happening so quickly, it’s challenging to keep up. This occurred for a number of reasons including the speed with which we’ve adopted gen AI tools, our curiosity about them and our general lack of AI training. And because the pace of change is so rapid, we haven’t made the time to stop, hit the pause button and reflect on potential consequences. That’s advice my friend and colleague, Michael Meath, a Syracuse Newhouse PR Professor and ethics expert, often offers organizations facing a reputation issue or crisis. And it seems more relevant than ever today.
Can you share a real example, from your work or teaching, where an ethical lens changed the direction of a communications strategy or decision?
This is a small example, but a few months ago, I was preparing a talk on prompt engineering for comms pros. I asked ChatGPT to create a visual of a ‘prompt engineer in a modern PR agency’. The image that came back showed a group of men working in front of screens that were filled with various AI charts and graphics. Now, anyone who’s worked in a PR agency knows that’s not the case and that women make up the majority in the firm. The photo ChatGPT produced was clearly biased. I suspected that because I used the term ‘engineer’, the LLM thought I wanted images of males. So, I had to go back and adjust my prompt, explicitly instructing the AI to put in more women. But had I not done that, the photo would have misrepresented what I was trying to show. And while that’s a minor gaffe, it’s a reminder that when you work with AI systems, you have to examine every AI output through an ethical lens.
Many early-career communicators struggle with speaking up when something feels “off.” What practical advice would you give them for navigating ethical grey areas with confidence?
I think Michael Meath’s advice to hit the pause button applies. Rather than reacting emotionally, which is something we all do, take the time to reflect on why you feel uncomfortable about the request. Then, consider the consequences of your various responses. Does the request contravene your personal values? If you broach the subject, are you prepared to accept the worst outcome (i.e. being fired) for what you believe the organization should do? Are there any areas for compromise? Thinking logically through the possibilities can help you arrive at a decision about what you should do.
Looking ahead, what skills or mindsets will define ethical communicators in the next five years?
Because the pace of change, we’ve been experiencing in the last few years is unprecedented, it’s difficult to predict the skills we’ll need in five years. Or even the next six months. I think the key is being proactive about getting AI training and open-minded when you test and use the tools. How can they help you do a task you’re struggling with? How can you be sure that you’re sharpening your cognitive skills and not offloading all your thinking to a machine? I also think you should reflect on the ethical foundations of our industry and familiarize yourself with the CPRS Code of Professional Standards that offer an excellent framework for ethical behaviour.
What does “earning trust” mean to you in today’s communications landscape?
To me, the term ‘earn’ is the key elements in building trust. Are you thinking about the people you’re trying to reach and their needs? Are you communicating with them ethically and transparently? Are you disclosing how, for example, you use AI in your communications? If there’s an issue or a mistake, do you own it and try to make it right? Earning trust was never easy. But blind reliance on too much AI or tech seems like a surefire recipe for trust decay or loss.
Anmol Harjani is a Client Servicing Manager working with a remote company and a recent graduate of York University’s Public Relations and Communications program. She is especially interested in strategic communications, social media behaviour, and how PR practitioners adapt within a rapidly evolving digital landscape. She currently serves as the Communications Co-Chair on the CPRS Toronto Board.