MindLab Blog Post 5 “Influence Of Law And Ethics”

“Influence Of Law And Ethics”
The dilemma
Based on the concerning amount of young (and not so young!) people I witness with their faces buried in devices instead of talking to the person right next to them, I make an effort not to let social media have too much reign over my life in general.
I only have Facebook - no Instagram, Snapchat, Vine or anything else like that. Emanating from this is the ethical dilemma I have faced in my practice of whether to “friend” or “follow” a colleague on Facebook. So far I have been resolutely resisting the urge to “friend request” colleagues I am close to, but it is difficult when you have a lot in common both professionally and personally and you just get on so well…


Ethical issues arising from the dilemma
Giving up on this resolution would blur the lines between my professional and personal life - I would be letting them into my digital personal life! Once the “friending” is done, it’s nearly impossible to undo - “defriending” could have awkward repercussions on my professional life.
I am fairly confident that I can stick to my professional decision not to add a colleague on Facebook, but a secondary dilemma may arise in the form of a colleague wanting to add me.
Opinions about me may change if I have not been mindful of what I post and the language I use. I would have to think twice before I posted anything. Subjects which are extreme in terms of beliefs - politics or religion, for example - would have to be avoided; once something is online, it's there forever and for anyone to see.


Addressing the dilemmas of ethical issues in practice
I need to keep professionalism first and foremost in my mind, no matter what my personal wishes may be in this dilemma. As a New Zealand registered teacher, our Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession. “...reminds us of our obligations and responsibilities to others and the need to demonstrate high standards of professional behaviour in all we do.” (2017, p.8)
Hall (2001) recommends following a set of guidelines in helping with ethical decision making: consider the stakeholder/s, consider if there are possible restrictions to my actions, what are the possible courses of action and how should they be implemented?
The main stakeholder in this dilemma is me - if things go awry (an unprofessional comment/picture is posted or I offend by defriending), my professional standing may be affected, including relationships which may be permanently damaged.
When contemplating restrictions on my actions, I would have to consider the abovementioned  Code for ethical conduct and my principal’s standing on matters such as mine.
My organisation has no rules set in stone, but we are expected to exercise common sense and reflect on what is appropriate and ethical when using social media.
My secondary dilemma in the form of a colleague wanting to add me to their social media realm could follow a course of action whereby I let my colleague know that my Facebook page is strictly for close friends and family. I would then be sure to send them a personalised LinkedIn connection request, which is more professionally focused. If I am authentic in my request and make sure it's personalised, it should hopefully cause minimal disappointment.
In conclusion, I think the best mindset for handling this ethical dilemma in my practice is to keep in the forefront of my mind that these people are my “work friends” and should remain as so, for everybody’s sake.




References


Education Council. (n.d). The Education Council Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/code-of-et…
Hall, A. (2001) What ought I to do, all things considered? An approach to the exploration of ethical problems by teachers. Paper presented at the IIPE Conference, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Developing-leaders/What-Ought-I-to-Do-All-Things-Considered-An-Approach-to-the-Exploration-of-Ethical-Problems-by-Teachers

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