ABSTRACT
One of the things that makes PR such an interesting area of study and employment is how it interacts with every aspect of life – business, politics and wider society. PR is used by almost every sort of person and organisation that engages with public life, from celebrities and beauty brands, to religious groups, trade bodies and trade unions, through to governments, global corporations and NGOs. While there are ethical issues that are common to all aspects of PR, there are also issues and, in some instances, codes, that are specific to particular PR specialisms.
This chapter looks at:
The ethical pitfalls of political PR, which is often characterised as manipulative and even dishonest.
The issues surrounding government PR and the use of taxpayers’ money.
Internal communications, and how the need for organisational loyalty can clash with freedom of expression.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR): the need to be seen to be doing good without being seen as cynical.
Why healthcare has its own ethical code and what the issues are.
Financial PR, an area of public relations where money matters and companies and even economies can fail if people behave badly.
Celebrity PR, where privacy and personal ethics battle with both the public interest and what’s of interest to the public.
Fashion and travel PR: where ‘freebies rule, OK?’ and there are issues around body dysmorphia and the future of the planet.
